“With great power comes great responsibility.”
Comic book fans will recognize this quote immediately as the personal creed of none other than Spider-Man. We do not live in a comic book world, however, and the sad reality is that those in power do not always act responsibly. In fact, many times the exact opposite is true.
This is the basic premise of a new book by Darlene F. Price, titled While No One’s Watching: The Shocking True Stories of Murder, Corruption, Greed, and Cover-Ups in Kentucky.
Price was in the local area over the weekend, showcasing her book at a special meet-and-greet event at the Corbin Public Library on Saturday, July 19.
In While No One’s Watching, Price draws from her personal casework to expose corruption at various levels of law enforcement and government in Kentucky. The book delivers what she calls, “a wake-up call for anyone who believes justice is automatic or that power always acts in the public’s interest.”
Price, a nationally recognized whistleblower and retired U.S. Army Military Police Captain, brings over four decades of investigative expertise to her writing. Over her career, she has served as a special agent with the U.S. Customs Service, worked on DEA task forces, and private criminal defense investigations into high-profile drug and murder cases.
In While No One’s Watching, Price presents a series of real-life cases in Kentucky where evidence has disappeared, environmental crimes have been swept under the rug, and officials have faced little-to-no accountability.
One case in particular that Price especially wanted to highlight and inform locals about was the Lake Cumberland event that is detailed in chapter three of her book. Essentially, she writes that millions of gallons of toxic waste has likely been improperly disposed of in Pulaski County, and as a result, has ended up in Lake Cumberland and the Cumberland River, where it could have long-lasting negative effects on the people, wildlife, and livestock in surrounding areas. According to her detailed account, this occurred largely as a result of the negligence of elected officials who put their own self-interests above the safety and well-being of their constituents.
Price is also wary of wrongdoing within police departments. Near the end of her book, she uses the December 2024 shooting death of 63-year-old Doug Harless as one of the latest examples of an officer-involved tragedy that has led to the loss of life.
On the night of Dec. 23, 2024, Harless was shot inside of his home, located on Vanzant Road in the Lily community of southern Laurel County, by London Police while officers were attempting to execute a search warrant. He succumbed to his injuries, and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Laurel County Coroner’s Office.
Kentucky State Police launched an investigation into the incident soon after, but details of that investigation have still not been made public.
In her book, Price says that she has identified what she considers to be “numerous red flags” while reading through various reports on the Harless shooting incident. She concludes that this incident, and others like it, could have been avoided with better training, proper oversight, improved regulations and transparency.
Price closed out her presentation Saturday with a call to action, urging listeners to “Get on the phone and call your state reps,” to demand that those in positions of power be held accountable for their actions, or lack thereof.
While No One’s Watching is available now in paperback, hardcover, and eBook formats through Amazon, Ingram, Barnes & Noble, and other major online retailers. An audiobook is expected later this year.
For more information, go online to www.darlenepriceauthor.com, or follow Price on social media @TRUTHorPOLITICS.
