Support Embert’s Law:                                                     Every Death Deserves a Thorough Investigation.

Grief is heavy enough. Discovering what happened to someone you love should not become another burden placed on a grieving family.

Every person will someday depend on others to handle their death with competence, honesty, and dignity. Every family deserves confidence that the determination of a loved one’s cause and manner of death rests on a careful examination of the evidence.

My name is Rachel Embert. My father, William “Jake” Embert, was a United States Army Sargent and a deeply loved member of our family. On June 28, 2014, he died in Dougherty County, in Albany Georgia. His death was initially ruled a suicide. His wife was later convicted of his murder in 2019 and again in 2026 after it was discovered in 2019 that an ineligible juror was on the jury. 

What followed was more than a decade of fighting for answers, enduring repeated court proceedings, carrying significant financial burdens, and reliving  a traumatic loss that changed our family forever.

Our experience revealed why the earliest decisions in a death investigation matter so much. Evidence that is not collected may never be recovered. Observations that are not documented may never be reconstructed. A premature conclusion can shape the course of an investigation and leave a family struggling for years to have unanswered questions examined.

We cannot bring my father back. But we can insist that the failures exposed through his death receive serious consideration and that the lessons learned help protect others.

My aunt, Yvonne Magnus, and I developed the William “Jake” Embert Investigative Integrity & Victims’ Rights Act, known as Embert’s Law, to address those concerns.

THE PURPOSE OF EMBERT’S LAW

Embert’s Law seeks stronger safeguards in four essential areas:

• Investigative integrity and review
Clear procedures for documenting death scenes, collecting and preserving evidence, obtaining qualified forensic consultation, and reviewing cases when conflicting evidence or procedural failures raise concerns.

• Coroner qualifications and accountability
Stronger education, training, certification, and professional standards for coroners and deputy coroners, supported by meaningful oversight and a defined process for addressing failures to meet those standards.

• Victims’ rights and communication
Reliable notification, clear communication, and enforceable protections intended to align with Marsy’s Law, so families can exercise their rights and remain informed throughout the criminal justice process.

• Protection against unreasonable delays
Meaningful review of avoidable delays and safeguards that recognize the emotional and financial consequences for families while respecting due process.

These reforms would also support the dedicated professionals who approach their responsibilities with care and integrity. Clear expectations, appropriate training, and accountable procedures help strengthen public confidence in their work.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING OF GEORGIA’S LEADERS

We respectfully ask members of the Georgia General Assembly to review the Embert’s Law framework with our family, affected families, and qualified professionals; identify legislative sponsors; and work toward introducing legislation.

We ask for a meeting or legislative hearing where these concerns can be examined openly and thoughtfully. We also request a written response outlining the next steps, the offices responsible, and how our family can participate in that process.

We ask the Governor and relevant state agencies to support this review and help move the discussion toward concrete action.

WHY YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS

Your signature adds your voice to the request for stronger standards and meaningful accountability. Please sign and share this petition, and help us bring these proposed protections before Georgia’s leaders.

My father’s life mattered.
The lessons from his death matter, too.                   This is not theoretical, it is based on validated failure within the system. I’m asking for your support in advancing this legislation so no other family has to endure what my family went through that was completely preventable.

Always in honor of William “Jake” Embert.

Rachel Embert
EmbertsLaw@gmail.com

Learn more:
https://www.walb.com/2026/03/28/william-jake-embert-investigative-integrity-victims-act/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          A decade-long fight for truth exposed critical failures. Embert’s Law will protect families, ensure accountability, and prevent this from ever happening again. 
“My name is Rachel Embert, and for over a decade my family fought for justice after serious failures in the investigation of my father’s death. That experience exposed critical gaps a significant lack of accountability, A Coroner’s lack of oversight, and a system that does not adequately protect victims’ families during their most heartbreaking times. Embert’s Law is designed to fix those gaps by establishing clear investigative standards, strengthening coroner requirements, enforcing victims’ rights, and addressing unreasonable delays.