The map, the machine, and the meaning of immunity
On June 18, 2026 our case was heard in front of the Kentucky Supreme Court. We are so grateful to independent journalist, Shay McAlister, for taking the time to look at the evidence from our case and share with her readers the importance of this court ruling and why it's more important to all Kentuckians harmed by negligence.
On July 21, 2026, Shay published on her platform some details about our story - facts that were inadmissible during our court trial. You can read her Shay Original Story Records show Henry County EMS knew its defibrillators were failing. A man died. Now the state's highest court is deciding if anyone has to answer for it.
I hope you will consider joining and supporting the Shay Informed platform so that independent journalists like Shay can report unbiased factual information about stories that don't make the headlines, but impact us all.
She also has a podcast that you can listen to: This week's episode of One More Question with Shay McAlister goes inside the case- Kim's account of that night, Hans Poppe breaking down what qualified immunity actually means for families like hers, and what's at stake in the Supreme Court's ruling.
When you call 911, you place your life in a system: the crew that shows up, the equipment on the truck, the training behind it, the county budget that pays for all of it.
In September 2017, that system failed Luke Hinkel. Nearly nine years later, the Kentucky Supreme Court is weighing a question that sounds like it's about a paper map and a broken defibrillator- but is really about something bigger: when the people we trust to save us don't follow the rules written to save us, who, if anyone, has to answer?
On One More Question, I take you inside the case of Brock v. Hinkel- through my interviews with Luke's ex-wife, who has spent almost a decade fighting closed doors, and the family's attorney, plus the arguments made before the justices last month.
It's a story about maps, machines, and a legal line most Kentuckians have never heard of that decides who has to answer when the system built to save you fails. You can listen to the podcast https://subscribe.transistor.fm/2337274fcbdb8f/listen/9f26bc9d
I have added these articles and other documents pertaining to the main petition page so that viewers can have access to all the records I refer to associated with my petition. Please help us to continue our outreach and raise awareness of the broken system in Kentucky by sharing our petition.
Sincerely,
Kim