Subject: Support "Tony’s Law" – Accountability for Kentucky In-Custody Deaths

​Dear [Representative/Senator Last Name],

​My name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent living in [Your City/District]. I am writing to urge you to sponsor and support "Tony’s Law," a bill designed to close the dangerous gaps in Kentucky’s Death in Custody reporting and inmate safety protocols.

​This issue is personal to me. On August 31, 2025, Robert Anthony Broyles Jr. (Tony) was murdered at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex. He was only nine days away from his release date. Because of current gaps in our law, his family was left in the dark, and critical evidence was at risk of being "sanitized" or lost during the initial investigation.

​Tony’s Law will fix this by implementing five essential pillars:

​Mandatory 90-Day Safe Release Audits: Ensuring inmates near release are moved to low-conflict units.

​The 48-Hour Transparency Mandate: Requiring the DOC to provide families with a factual timeline and evidence preservation confirmation within 48 hours.

​Immutable Evidence Preservation: Mandating that video and logs be moved to unalterable storage immediately following a death.

​Independent Oversight: Creating a Correctional Ombudsman with unannounced inspection authority.

​Competency-Based Crisis Training: Replacing "online modules" with in-person de-escalation training for all staff.

​Kentucky’s current State Implementation Plan for the Death in Custody Reporting Act admits that we have no central authority to ensure honesty and transparency when a death occurs. We cannot continue to rely on a "trust us" system when lives are being lost days before they return to their families.

​I ask that you meet with me or the advocates for Tony’s Law to discuss sponsoring this legislation in the current session. Our community deserves a system where "justice for all" includes those behind bars.

​I look forward to your response.

​Sincerely,

​[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Email]

​3 Ways to Deliver This Effectively

​The Legislative Message Line: Call 1-800-372-7181. You can leave this exact message for any legislator. This is the fastest way to get your name on their daily "call sheet."

​Find Your Legislator: Use the Kentucky LRC Find My Legislator tool to get the direct email addresses for your specific representative.

​The "Annex" Visit: If you are able to travel to Frankfort, you can drop off printed copies of the "Tony’s Law" draft at the Capital Annex (702 Capital Ave).