If I could encourage everyone to contact their district's legislators through calls, emails, letters, or a combination of these methods regarding the passage of Tony's Law, they tend to be more receptive to the concerns of their constituents

Letter to My Kentucky Legislator

​Subject: CONSTITUENT: Please Sponsor "Tony’s Law" to End Prison Homicides and Ensure DCRA Compliance

​To Representative/Senator [Last Name],

​I am writing to you as one of your constituents to demand action regarding a crisis of violence and secrecy within the Kentucky Department of Corrections, specifically at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex (EKCC).

​In the last five months, at least three men have been killed in their cells at EKCC and one more in questionable circumstances:

​Robert "Tony" Broyles (August 31, 2025) – A father murdered just 9 days before his release.

​Ryan Rayburn (September 30, 2025) – Found unresponsive 30 days later.

​Marcus Gray (January 4, 2026) – found unresponsive in his cell.

Marvin Knuckles (January 27, 2026)- slip and fall down 30 ft slope while shoveling snow at 1:30 a.m

The Failure of Federal Compliance:

Under the federal Death in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA), 34 U.S.C. § 60105, Kentucky is required to report comprehensive data on these deaths to the U.S. Attorney General. However, the state’s current Implementation Plan admits there is no central authority in Kentucky law to mandate reporting for all custodial deaths. This non-compliance puts up to 10% of Kentucky’s federal JAG Program funding at risk every year.

​I am asking you to sponsor "Tony’s Law," a 5-Pillar solution to bring safety and transparency to our prisons and align Kentucky with federal law:

​Mandatory 90-Day Safe-Release Audit: Requirement for documented threat assessments for everyone within 90 days of release.

​Safe-Release Transition Units: High-supervision environments focused on reentry safety, not violence.

​48-Hour Transparency Mandate: Closing the "investigation loophole" by requiring the state to brief families on administrative facts within 48 hours of a death.

​Independent Oversight: A Correctional Ombudsman reporting directly to the General Assembly to audit DCRA data for accuracy.

​Advanced Staff Training: Competency-based, in-person training in de-escalation and mental health to reduce fatal outcomes.

​We cannot wait for a fifth death. We need Tony’s Law to ensure that when a man does his time, he actually makes it home to his children.

​Will you commit to meeting with the family of Robert Broyles and sponsoring this life-saving legislation? I look forward to your response.

​Sincerely,

​[Your Name]

[Your Home Address]

[Your Phone Number]

​The Link:  findyourlegislator.ky.gov.                   Find out exactly who to send it to.