The governor and leading lawmakers on Thursday approved $150,000 to settle a lawsuit stemming from a fatal attack on an inmate at the Lansing Correctional Facility.
The State Finance Council approved the settlement offer to the daughter and brother of Gary Lee Raburn, who was fatally strangled on Jan. 6, 2023, by another inmate serving time for beating an 82-year-old priest.
The lawsuit filed against the state alleged that the prison assigned the 62-year-old Raburn to a cell with someone they knew had a propensity for violence and didn’t take steps that would have kept him safe.
The cellmate, Ladarious Racquez Barkers, had been convicted of three counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated battery by intentionally causing great bodily harm, according to the lawsuit.
Barkers’ beating of an 82-year-old priest was basis for at least one conviction, court records show.
Barker was jailed at Lansing on March 21, 2017. From that date leading up to the fatal 2023 attack, Barked had been disciplined 100 times for various infractions, including violence or threats of violence, the lawsuit said.
“Despite foreknowledge of Barkers’ extensive violent history, defendants assigned Barkers to a cell with Raburn, who was approximately 37 years older than Barkers and physically
infirm,” the lawsuit said.
“Although defendants knew or should have known of Barkers’ violent propensities, they failed to take reasonable steps to protect Raburn and…as a result, Raburn was exposed to an unreasonable risk of harm and suffered fatal injuries.”
Barkers has been charged with capital murder in connection with the attack on Raburn, according to the Leavenworth County district attorney.
He is now awaiting a determination of competency to stand trial.
Raburn had been serving a sentence from Sedgwick County for two counts of violating the Kansas Offender Registration Act and was admitted to the prison on March 14, 2022, according to the Department of Corrections.
His underlying offenses were from Neosho County for one count of aggravated kidnapping in 2005 and a 2017 Sedgwick County violation of the Kansas Offender Registration Act.
