(LEX 18) — Kentucky lawmakers filed legislation Friday aimed at strengthening the state's sentencing and parole laws for violent crimes, naming the bill after a 6-year-old boy who was killed in his Versailles home nearly a decade ago.
"Logan's Law," or House Bill 422, honors Logan Tipton, who was killed in his home as he slept in 2015. The bipartisan measure has already gained support from more than half of Kentucky House members as cosponsors.
According to a release, the case that inspired the legislation highlights gaps in Kentucky's criminal justice system. The man charged with Logan's killing, Ronald Exantus, was acquitted of capital murder and first-degree burglary by reason of insanity in 2018. However, he was found guilty on two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree assault for attacking other Tipton family members and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Despite being denied release three times by the Kentucky Parole Board, Exantus was released from a Kentucky prison in October on mandatory re-entry supervision. He was rearrested in Florida just eight days later and is back in Kentucky state custody, scheduled for release later this year.
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"Logan's Law is about turning unimaginable loss into action," said Representative Dan Fister, the Tipton family's state representative and one of the bill's sponsors. "We cannot undo what happened to Logan or erase the grief his family carries, but we can honor his memory by working to ensure that other families are protected from experiencing the same devastation."
According to a release, Representative TJ Roberts of Burlington co-sponsors the measure.
"The Tipton family has shown extraordinary courage in the face of profound loss," Roberts said. "By sharing their story, we hope Logan's Law will serve as a lasting legacy for Logan - one that prioritizes prevention, responsibility, and compassion."
A release states that the legislation would expand and clarify the definition of "violent offender" and increase minimum time requirements before certain offenders become eligible for parole. Under the bill, life-sentence parole eligibility would increase from 25 to 35 years.
Logan's Law would also limit early release options, such as mandatory reentry supervision for violent and high-level felony offenders, according to a release. The measure requires consecutive sentencing for offenders convicted of multiple violent or serious felonies involving multiple victims and tightens parole eligibility rules.
Additional provisions include adjusted reporting and data-tracking requirements to reflect longer sentences and parole restrictions, according to a release. The bill also revises procedures related to capital sentencing, aggravating factors, and treatment of defendants found guilty but mentally ill, emphasizing longer incarceration and public safety over early release.
"This bill is about making sure Logan's life mattered," Fister said. "No family should have to go through what this family and our community have endured. If Logan's Law can spare even one family this pain, then his legacy will live on through change."
The legislation, according to a release, reflects a commitment to justice that centers victims and their loved ones, ensuring accountability plays a critical role in healing and preventing future harm.
