In 2024, Ohio's prison system lost two correctional officers to inmate-perpetrated violence — a rare and devastating occurrence that prompted the state legislature to move legislation strengthening mandatory penalties for attacks on corrections staff. The two killings, months apart, at two different facilities, reflected a broader concern about the safety environment inside Ohio prisons in a year when the system was managing both population pressure and staffing challenges.
The Two Deaths
Lieutenant Rodney Osborne was killed on April 9, 2024 at Southern Ohio Correctional Facility (SOCF) in Lucasville — one of Ohio's highest-security prisons, long considered one of the most difficult facilities to staff and manage in the state system. Lieutenant Osborne's death represented the loss of a career corrections professional and shook the SOCF community, which had previously experienced the 1993 Lucasville prison riot — one of the deadliest prison uprisings in American history.
Officer Andrew Lansing was killed on Christmas Day, December 25, 2024 at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe. Lansing was performing his duties on a holiday shift when he was attacked and killed by an inmate. The Christmas timing added a particular resonance to the death — an officer who had given up the holiday to work was killed while doing so.
Andy's Law: The Legislative Response
Following Andrew Lansing's murder, Representative Abby Pizzulli introduced and championed legislation in the Ohio House nicknamed "Andy's Law" — named for Officer Lansing. The bill created and strengthened mandatory minimum penalties for inmates who commit violent acts against ODRC employees:
- Life in prison without parole for an inmate who murders an ODRC employee
- Seven-year consecutive sentence for an inmate who commits felonious assault against a correctional officer
- Three-year sentence for an inmate who throws bodily fluids at an officer
The bill passed the Ohio House by an 82-3 vote — an unusually lopsided margin that reflected near-unanimous legislative agreement that the killings demanded a response. The bill moved to the Senate for consideration.
The Broader Safety Context
The two 2024 officer deaths occurred against a backdrop of rising assault data. Ohio's ODRC reported in its PREA statistics that in 2024 there were 184 allegations of inmate-on-inmate nonconsensual sexual acts (11 substantiated) and 138 inmate-on-inmate abusive sexual contact allegations (13 substantiated). Broader assault data from ODRC's 2025 annual report covers inmate-on-staff incidents as well.
For the families of Officer Lansing and Lieutenant Osborne, Andy's Law represents a legislative memorial — an acknowledgment that their loved ones' deaths were not acceptable occupational hazards but crimes that demanded accountability and deterrence. For the broader corrections community, it represents a statement about the value the state places on the safety of those who do the work.
Southern Ohio Correctional: Historical Context
Southern Ohio Correctional Facility's history adds weight to the April 2024 killing there. SOCF was the site of the 1993 Lucasville riot — an 11-day siege that killed one correctional officer and nine inmates and resulted in one of the most complex prison hostage situations in American history. The riot's legacy has shaped SOCF's operational culture for three decades, and Lieutenant Osborne's death in 2024 drew the facility's history back into public attention.
ODRC headquarters: 770 West Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43222. Phone: (614) 752-1159. Website: drc.ohio.gov.