Gov. Beshear, it’s time to deliver justice for Sheriff Bennett and Deputy Briscoe | Opinion
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Sheriff and deputy were murdered over 30 years ago; state waits for execution.
- Attorney General and legislature say legal steps complete; Governor must act.
- Sheriff urges Beshear to sign death warrant to deliver closure to families.
It’s been more than 30 years since Sheriff Steve Bennett and Deputy Arthur Briscoe were murdered in the line of duty here in Powell County. They were ambushed and gunned down while doing what law enforcement officers do every day, protecting the people they swore an oath to serve.
Sheriff Bennett and Deputy Briscoe were husbands, fathers, friends, and public servants who gave everything they had to their community. Their families have lived every day since their murder with the pain of knowing that the man who killed them, a man convicted and sentenced to death by a jury of his peers, has so far escaped justice.
As the Sheriff of Powell County, I have heard the stories, seen the grief, and felt the frustration that justice still has not been carried out. Our community has waited more than three decades for the Governor to act or even acknowledge our pain. The families’ efforts to reach him have been met with silence from his office.
As Kentucky’s chief law officer, Attorney General Russell Coleman has made it clear. We don’t need a new law. We don’t need a new court order. We don’t need a new regulation. All that remains is for the Governor to uphold the lawful sentence handed down by the people of Kentucky.
Gov. Andy Beshear has said many times that he supports law enforcement and that he supports the Commonwealth’s ultimate form of punishment in the death penalty. I believe those words carry weight, but now they demand action. The Governor can honor Sheriff Bennett and Deputy Briscoe, and every Kentucky peace officer who wears the badge, by signing the death warrant for Ralph Baze.
This is not about vengeance or politics. It is about the rule of law, accountability, and respect for the men and women who risk their lives to keep Kentucky safe. Attorney General Coleman, our members of the General Assembly, and even the President of the United States have all cleared the way for the Governor to do his job.
Justice delayed is justice denied. Thirty years is long enough. It’s time to bring closure to two families who have suffered for far too long. It’s time to show every law enforcement officer across this Commonwealth that when one of our own is killed in the line of duty, Kentucky will not forget.
Governor Beshear, for the sake of Sheriff Steve Bennett, Deputy Arthur Briscoe, their families, and every peace officer who serves this Commonwealth with courage, sign the death warrant.
Let justice finally be done.
Sheriff Danny Rodgers has served in law enforcement for more than 30 years and has been the Sheriff of Powell County for nearly two decades.