Gov. Laura Kelly addresses legislative leadership during a Nov. 7, 2024, virtual meeting of the State Finance Council. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and legislative leadership approved Thursday a $150,000 settlement in a lawsuit stemming from a 2023 killing in a state prison.
Gary Raburn’s cellmate killed him in January 2023 at the Lansing Correctional Facility, and Raburn’s brother and daughter sued the state of Kansas, the Kansas Department of Corrections and the state’s prison health care provider, Centurion of Kansas.
In a closed-door meeting, the State Finance Council voted unanimously to offer public funds to confidentially settle one piece of the case that allows Centurion, and only Centurion, to avoid a jury trial scheduled for July 2025.
The finance council consists of Kelly and top legislators, including Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins. They approved the settlement Thursday without disclosing any details of the case or terms of the agreement. The motion to settle was filed Wednesday, and a judge hadn’t yet approved the motion as of Thursday afternoon, according to court records.