COLUMBUS — Gov. John Kasich on Friday signed a bill in the memory of murdered former Monclova Township resident Reagan Tokes that reassesses how Ohio has sentenced certain violent offenders since enactment of so-called “truth in sentencing” 22 years ago.
Senate Bill 201, sponsored by state Sens. Kevin Bacon (R., Columbus) and Sean O’Brien (D., Cortland), is dubbed the Reagan Tokes Law for the 21-year-old Ohio State University senior who was kidnapped, robbed, raped, and shot twice in the head on Feb. 8, 2017 in Columbus by a man recently released from state prison.
Brian Lee Golsby was later sentenced to multiple life sentences.
Ms. Tokes’ family has argued that a number of missteps led to Ms. Tokes’ death. They’ve pointed to Golsby’s release despite his multiple infractions behind bars, his release to a non-profit residential facility, and the lack of real-time monitoring of his global-positioning system ankle monitor.
This bill addresses only part of that menu, leaving for next session debate about parole officer staffing, caseloads, and GPS monitoring.
“The signing of the bill is filled with bittersweet emotion for our family,” said Lisa McCrary-Tokes, Reagan’s mother. “The catalyst of this bill was Reagan's horrific, tragic death, which was preventable. She had an amazing ability to impact the lives of others in a positive way, making a difference in this world, and that [is] still occurring. With us acting as her voice she has done so again. People's lives will be saved because of the Reagan Tokes Act.”
The law marks a return to indefinite sentencing, with minimums and maximums, for those convicted of certain crimes. It would allow judges to set a maximum sentence as much as 50 percent longer than the minimum, to be used as threat to get inmates to behave and work to improve themselves while behind bars.
This is in sharp contrast to the direction the state embarked upon in 1996 when it passed the “truth in sentencing” law that imposed finite sentences without ranges.
Golsby had completed a sentence for attempted rape just two months before killing Ms. Tokes.
Because he was homeless, Golsby was released into a non-profit residential facility where he frequently came and went. His GPS device was not monitored in real time, so he was able to commit a series of robberies in the days immediately preceding the night he accosted Ms. Tokes as she left work at a Columbus restaurant.
While the bill does not address mandatory real-time GPS monitoring, it does require the state to study its GPS programs.
Ms. McCrary-Tokes said the family will continue to work next session for additional reforms, adding that they must go together as a package.
“It is high time there is negative consequences for negative behavior,” she said. “This will positively impact law enforcement officers as well as they will not have to deal with the violence on the streets.”
The governor signed 11 more bills Friday, among them:
—House Bill 497, sponsored by state Reps. John Rogers (D., Mentor-on-the-Lake) and Nathan Manning (R., Ridgeville) to make “revenge porn,” the release of private sexual images without the subject’s permission, a crime.
—Senate Bill 96, sponsored by state Rep. Jim Hughes (R., Columbus), to increase penalties for sexual imposition and disorderly conduct involving voluntary intoxication when the crimes were preceded by at least three similar crimes.
—House Bill 411, sponsored by state Reps. Bill Seitz (R., Cincinnati) and Emelia Sykes (D., Akron), to change the criteria someone must meet to be compensated as a wrongfully imprisoned person and applies them retroactively.
First Published December 21, 2018, 8:15 p.m.
