A man who served time for reckless homicide is running for mayor in Sebree, Kentucky

Michael Doyle, Henderson Gleaner
·2 min read
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A Webster County, Kentucky, man who served two years in prison for reckless homicide is running for mayor of Sebree.

Robert Ray Brantley, 46, is running under the banner of "Making Sebree Great Again" and owns a home renovation business called I&R Remodeling Experts.

The Webster County Clerk's Office confirmed Brantley's candidacy for the 2022 general election. Brantley is running as a Republican. James A. Nance and Jeremy T. Brown, the two other declared candidates, are both Democrats.

Brantley was among three men convicted and sentenced in early 2015 for the death of Uniontown, Kentucky, resident Adam Hogan in a 2014 incident at Double Dukes Saloon in Henderson. Hogan, 34, was an engineer employed by CSX Transportation.

Reached by the Courier & Press, Brantley declined to comment.

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According to Gleaner archives from the trial, Brantley was working security at the bar at the time as an "independent contractor" but was not employed by Double Dukes itself.

Witnesses described an argument between Hogan and a bartender that escalated after Hogan claimed his drink had been made incorrectly, leading to the bartender calling for security. Witnesses said Hogan was hit and choked by the bouncers. A medical examiner during the trial testified Hogan died of "manual strangulation" from a chokehold.

All three men were tried for murder and manslaughter but were found guilty only on the lesser reckless homicide charges. Brantley expressed regret at his sentencing hearing, saying he was "truly sorry to Adam’s family” and that he wished he could go back and change what happened.

Brantley is able to run for public office because of a relatively new Kentucky state law instituted in 2019 by an executive order for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. The law restored voting rights and the right to hold public office to some convicted felons who qualify upon release of their sentence. The state Department of Corrections reviews each applicant.

Brantley said in a Facebook post announcing his candidacy that he was born and raised in Sebree and wants to ensure future generations become involved and invested in the community and "have memories as I have had all my life in this town." He has also said he wants to bring new businesses and events into downtown.

About 1,550 people live in Sebree, according to Census data.

This article originally appeared on Henderson Gleaner: What to know about Sebree mayoral candidate Robert Brantley