Executive Summary
- House Bill 422, "Logan’s Law," has been filed in the Kentucky legislature to reform criminal sentencing.
- The bill seeks to eliminate the "not guilty by reason of insanity" verdict option for juries.
- Legislation would bar mandatory reentry supervision for those convicted of Class B or violent felonies.
- The reform is a response to the 2015 killing of 6-year-old Logan Tipton and the subsequent release of his attacker.
- Sponsors expect the bill to pass the House by the end of the month.
FRANKFORT, Ky. — State legislators have introduced House Bill 422, known as "Logan’s Law," proposing significant reforms to Kentucky’s criminal justice system, including the elimination of the "not guilty by reason of insanity" verdict and tighter restrictions on mandatory reentry supervision for violent offenders.
The legislation is named in memory of six-year-old Logan Tipton, who was fatally stabbed in 2015. The bill addresses legal mechanisms highlighted by the sentencing and subsequent release of Ronald Exantus, the man responsible for the attack. According to court records, Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity in 2018, although he was convicted of burglary and assault regarding other family members. Under current statutes, Exantus was granted mandatory reentry supervision in October, only to be rearrested shortly thereafter.
State Representative Dan Fister (R-Versailles), the bill’s primary sponsor, indicated that the proposed measures would bar individuals convicted of Class B felonies or violent crimes from qualifying for mandatory reentry supervision. Furthermore, the legislation requires that offenders serve consecutive sentences for each victim harmed, rather than concurrent terms.
A pivotal component of the bill is the restructuring of insanity pleas. If enacted, juries would no longer be permitted to return a verdict of "not guilty by reason of insanity." Instead, defendants found "guilty but mentally ill" would serve their sentences and could be subject to involuntary commitment in a psychiatric facility upon release. The bill also mandates that the legislature receive an annual report on the state’s mandatory reentry supervision program.
During a briefing at the state capitol, the victim’s family expressed support for the reforms. "Logan’s life mattered, and they want to make sure that Logan’s life mattered," Dean Tipton, the victim’s father, told reporters. Representative Fister stated he aims to move the bill through the House by the end of the month, with a committee hearing expected next week.
Legislative Impact and Judicial Reform
House Bill 422 signals a shift toward stricter penal codes in Kentucky, particularly regarding the intersection of mental health and criminal liability. By seeking to abolish the insanity defense, the legislature is moving to ensure incarceration for offenders regardless of mental state at the time of the crime, a change that may prompt significant legal debate regarding due process and mens rea. The proposed restrictions on supervision reflect a legislative effort to close procedural gaps that allow violent offenders early community access. It is important to note that regarding the recent rearrest of Mr. Exantus, all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
