Jason Palmer (c. 1977 – 16 May 2010), a United States-born former Marine, was the first corrections officer in New Zealand to die on active duty.
As the door opened, Kepu swung a punch at Palmer who fell back and hit his head on the concrete pathway outside the cell.
This focus obscured the real reason why Jason's death occurred in a supposedly low-security prison - managerial incompetence.
[9] The Corrections Department denied the claim made by these reports, stating that an internal investigation had found that prison management and staff were not at fault.
"[5][10] Judith Collins, then Minister of Corrections, described Palmer's death as the saddest day in the department's history[11] and moved in Parliament "that this House express its deep sympathy and condolences to the wife, family, friends, and colleagues of Spring Hill Corrections Officer Jason Palmer, who died on Sunday as a result of an assault by a prisoner.