LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky lawmaker wants to pass “Logan’s Law,” legislation aimed at ending early prison release under mandatory reentry supervision and banning split verdicts. But the family of 6-year-old Logan Tipton said they were never contacted and feel exploited.
The Tipton family told WDRB they have never spoken with the lawmaker proposing "Logan's Law," Representative T.J. Roberts, and are upset he used Logan’s story in messages asking for campaign donations.
December 7, 2015, is a night that forever changed the Tiptons lives. Ronald Exantus broke into their Versailles home and stabbed and killed 6-year-old Logan in his bedroom.
Logan's father Dean Tipton misses everything about him.
“His hugs, his smiles, yeah everything, I miss everything about him,” Tipton said.
Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity but guilty of assaulting other family members and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He served about nine years because he earned time off for good behavior. He was also released six months early under Kentucky’s mandatory reentry supervision, a law that allows certain inmates to finish their sentences on parole.
Roberts’ proposed “Logan’s Law” would end the mandatory reentry supervision program and ban split verdicts, which occur when someone is found insane on one charge but guilty on another stemming from the same crime.
“It was a failure of our state laws that require the release of people even if the parole board unanimously holds this person should not reenter society,” Roberts said.
Tipton said he does not fully support the proposed law. While he agrees with ending split verdicts, he opposes ending mandatory reentry supervision entirely.
“The people with theft and stuff, I want to see it there. Everyone deserves a second chance,” Tipton said.
Tipton also said he was outraged when a friend forwarded him a campaign message from Roberts that told the family’s story, highlighted Roberts’ fight to end legal loopholes, and asked for a “generous grassroots donation” of up to $1,000.
“Don’t raise money using my son’s story… that’s sickening to me,” Tipton said.
The message said in part "Insanity pleas shouldn’t act like a get-out-of-jail-free card, allowing a split verdict where he was found guilty of lesser charges but not the more serious ones. That’s why I will also introduce BR 1051 to end these loopholes and prevent insanity defenses from creating such insulting outcomes. JOIN MY FIGHT TO SAVE KENTUCKY! SELECT AN OPTION BELOW TO MAKE A GENEROUS GRASSROOTS DONATION TODAY."
WDRB reached out to Roberts after learning of the campaign email. He wrote, “I will reach out to the Tipton family, but I will not acknowledge your attempt to make a hit piece out of a legitimate fight to ensure justice for crime victims."
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