UPDATE ON LARRY’S LAW FROM MARIA MILLER; CHRIS GILYARD TALKS ABOUT LIFE IN PRISON

Jaws of Justice Radio investigates how we can achieve justice from a system of laws deeply rooted in economic, social and political inequality.  We want to dispel misconceptions created by the news and entertainment industry, politicians and our educational system. We hope you will listen. Host Bev Livingston speaks with Maria Miller about Larry’s Law.  Maria is a CURE member St Louis, Missouri.  She has spent more than a decade seeking answers after her brother died in state prison and is now advocating for legislation that would create an independent oversight agency for the Missouri Department of Corrections. Two Missouri House bills, HB 2832 and HB 1616, and a companion bill in the Missouri Senate known as “Larry’s Law” would establish independent oversight of the Missouri Department of Corrections. The proposed independent agency would monitor prison conditions, track compliance, establish a reporting system to collect data, and issue annual reports about the department. The bills are currently in the House Corrections Committee, where there was a hearing in early 2026. The bills are supported by advocates for improved prison safety because they would establish a formal system to track data and issue annual reports regarding prison conditions. Maria Miller lost her brother, Larry, more than 12 years ago after he was stabbed in prison. Miller said her family received little information following his death and that the lack of transparency prompted her to advocate for systemic change. The Missouri Department of Corrections has not taken a formal position on the bill. In a statement, a department spokesperson said the agency already has oversight mechanisms in place. The Department of Corrections is one of Missouri’s largest, with a $935 million 2026 budget and more than 10,000 employees. Those mechanisms include an anonymous complaints hotline known as the CLEAR line, an internal investigations unit, an Office of Professional Standards, a grievance system for incarcerated residents, contract monitors for medical and mental health providers, a Constituent Services Office for families and a Sunshine Law unit for public records requests. The department also conducts autopsies for nearly all deaths in custody and provides weekly reporting of all deaths and causes of death. In the second part of our hour, Jaws of Justice will play another talk with Chris Gilyard, resident at the Missouri Crossroads Correctional facility. On Jaws of Justice, we examine how to find justice in our society.  Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are. https://kkfi.org/listen/