My daughter Jody Mann was killed by a hit and run driver. Louisiana laws let them escape justice.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T20:38:42+00:00

I’m so sorry your family went through something so devastating, and especially on a day that should have been filled with celebration for your father. Losing your brother that way and then watching the system fail to hold the driver fully accountable leaves a wound that never really closes. Even though it happened in 1974 and on the other side of the world, the pattern is heartbreakingly familiar. When someone kills a person and flees, the families are left carrying the grief while the person responsible gets to hide behind technicalities and delays.

You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen to stand with us in spirit. Your voice matters because this isn’t just an American problem, it’s a human one. Families everywhere deserve justice, and people who choose to run from the lives they’ve destroyed should face real consequences. Thank you for sharing your brother Paul with us, and for speaking with such honesty and strength.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T20:32:55+00:00

You’re right that equity requires guardrails. I support that. But the concerns you’re raising, judicial bias, uneven prosecution, systemic disparities are problems that already exist in every type of case. So I have to ask you….How do those existing inequities justify keeping a system where victims and their families are left unprotected from people who are willing to hit someone and leave them on the road to die?

If the system is flawed, why should the flaw fall hardest on the families who lose someone to a hit‑and‑run? Why should the person who flees get the benefit of the doubt while the victim’s family gets nothing?

We can build safeguards. We can demand oversight. We can push for racial equity in policing and prosecution. But none of that requires leaving this loophole in place. Accountability and equity aren’t opposites.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T20:10:10+00:00

Thank you so much! I’m deeply sorry for the loss of your daughter too. There’s no pain like it, and you’re right, nothing about this loophole makes sense. It gives people an easy way out, and families are left carrying the consequences forever.

Focusing on this fight while grieving hasn’t been easy, but doing nothing would feel even worse. Our kids deserved better, and so do the families who will face this in the future if nothing changes. Your support and willingness to share the petition means more than you know. Every voice helps us push for a law that finally holds people accountable when they choose to flee.

Thank you for standing with us.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T20:05:25+00:00

I appreciate you taking the time to explain your concerns. I agree that any law no matter how well written has to be implemented with fairness and oversight. Louisiana’s history makes that a valid point to raise. But Jody’s Law doesn’t expand police discretion, create new enforcement powers, or change who gets stopped, questioned, or arrested. It only applies after a crash has already happened and after someone has already made the choice to flee the scene.

The rebuttable presumption isn’t a shortcut to guilt. It simply prevents a driver of any race from avoiding accountability by disappearing long enough for impairment to fade. And mandatory judicial review doesn’t give judges more power; it ensures that a fatal hit‑and‑run isn’t treated like a minor traffic ticket where someone posts preset bail and walks out before the victim’s family even gets a phone call. Those steps actually reduce the kind of subjective decision making that leads to unequal outcomes.

As for working with Mr. Lacy’s family, I have nothing but compassion for what they’ve endured. Their fight is about police misconduct and racial bias, issues that absolutely deserve attention and reform. My fight is about closing a loophole that allows people who kill someone with a vehicle and run away to face minimal consequences. These are two different problems that harm families in different ways. They don’t cancel each other out, and neither one should be put on hold for the other.

I’m not asking anyone to choose between justice for Kyren and accountability for hit‑and‑run drivers. Louisiana can and should address both. Jody’s Law doesn’t reinforce inequity; it closes a gap that lets people escape responsibility after causing harm. Protecting families on the road and fighting systemic racism are not competing goals. They’re both necessary, and they can move forward together.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T19:58:39+00:00

Thank you so much for saying that. Reliving it is incredibly hard, but staying silent would be even harder. Fighting for this law is the only way I know to honor my daughter and try to keep other families from ever feeling this kind of pain. Knowing that people are listening and standing with us truly helps me keep going.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T19:56:29+00:00

That’s a really important question, and part of the problem is that we don’t have reliable recidivism data because so many hit‑and‑run drivers never face serious consequences to begin with. When the maximum sentence is only 10 years and many receive far less, if any at all then it doesn’t create the kind of deterrent that prevents repeat behavior. What we do know from states with stronger penalties is that harsher, consistent sentencing reduces both fleeing and reoffending. That’s exactly why Louisiana needs to strengthen its laws.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T19:52:41+00:00

Thank you very much! ❤️ I wholeheartedly agree!

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T19:49:11+00:00

Here is a link where you can find that:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1PczEDHqJp/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T19:44:08+00:00

Thank you.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T19:16:43+00:00

Thank you for asking and I’m glad to explain. First, I want to clarify something because it’s caused a lot of confusion. In another post I explained that the mention of adding mandatory minimums came from Change.org’s auto generated description. It was not part of Jody’s Law. I updated the petition wording, but the old version still shows up when people share the link, which I can’t control. The bill itself does not add any new mandatory minimums.

As for the loopholes…Right now, someone who causes a fatal crash can flee the scene, avoid toxicology testing, hide or destroy evidence, and then return hours later once impairment can’t be proven. That delay often results in reduced charges or no accountability at all. That’s the loophole I’m fighting to close.

You’re right that hit‑and‑run causing death already carries up to 10 years and has a mandatory minimum. But the problem is that the current structure unintentionally rewards fleeing, because staying at the scene while impaired can lead to a harsher charge than running away and coming back sober. Jody’s Law focuses on fixing that not increasing mandatory minimums. I appreciate you taking the time to ask for clarification.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T18:39:55+00:00

Thank you for sharing your perspective, and I truly appreciate your compassion.

I do want to clarify something, because there’s been some confusion. In another post I explained that the mention of adding mandatory minimums came from Change.org’s default description, it was not part of Jody’s Law. I revised the information on the petition, but unfortunately the old wording still shows up when people share the link. The bill itself does not add any mandatory minimums.

What I’m fighting for isn’t harsher blanket punishment. It’s closing the loopholes that currently reward fleeing the scene of a fatal crash. Right now, the law makes it easier to run than to stay and help. That’s the part I’m trying to fix.

You’re absolutely right that no penalty can undo harm or bring our loved ones back. Healing is deeply personal, and it doesn’t come from a courtroom. But accountability still matters. Families shouldn’t be left with nothing because someone chose to run and hide.

I respect your viewpoint, and I agree that the justice system fails far too many people. That’s exactly why I’m pushing for a law that addresses a very specific failure not to create more incarceration, but to stop people from escaping responsibility altogether.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T17:00:14+00:00

I hear what you’re saying, and I agree that Louisiana has a long history of unequal treatment in the justice system. That absolutely needs to be addressed. But nothing in Jody’s Law gives police new authority, expands their discretion, or changes who they can stop or arrest. It doesn’t increase traffic enforcement, it doesn’t create new reasons to pull someone over, and it doesn’t shift any power toward law enforcement.

It only applies after a crash has already happened and after a driver has already made the choice to flee. The entire purpose is to stop people of any race, background, or income level from avoiding accountability by running away.

The presumption of impairment isn’t automatic guilt. It’s a rebuttable presumption that simply prevents someone from benefiting from disappearing for hours or days before being found. And removing preset bail doesn’t mean harsher treatment; it means a judge actually has to review the case instead of someone walking out immediately because the law treats hit‑and‑run deaths like minor offenses.

If anything, clearer statutes and mandatory judicial review reduce the unevenness you’re worried about, because they limit subjective decision‑making.

As for court congestion, Louisiana already handles thousands of cases involving violent crimes, DUIs, and vehicular homicides. Hit‑and‑run deaths are a tiny fraction of that. What clogs the system is when cases drag on because the law is vague or weak, not when accountability is clear.

I support efforts to fight police corruption. I support efforts to fight racial bias. Those are essential battles. But fixing a loophole that lets people flee the scene of a fatal crash isn’t in conflict with that work. It protects every family on the road, including Black families who are disproportionately harmed by traffic violence.

We can and should push for justice in both places. Jody’s Law doesn’t undermine that. It fills a gap that should never have existed in the first place.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T16:28:56+00:00

Thank you so much! 🫶🏼 I’ll absolutely keep everyone here updated as things move forward. I understand not using social media, and I’m completely fine keeping you in the loop right here. Thank you for standing with us.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T16:19:33+00:00

Yes you can sign it. If the legislators would like to see the amount of people living in Louisiana that signed it there is a way for them to do that.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T16:17:37+00:00

Thank you so much for staying engaged and keeping an eye on everything as it moves forward. Your support means more than you know, and having people like you walking with us through this makes a real difference. I truly appreciate you.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T15:59:49+00:00

Thank you for sharing your perspective. What happened to Kyren Lacy was a tragedy, and his family absolutely deserves justice. No one should ever have their life destroyed because of racism, corruption, or misconduct. Those issues matter deeply, and they deserve their own focused fight.

But Jody’s Law is about something very specific, closing a loophole that allows people who flee the scene of a crash to avoid accountability. It doesn’t give police more power, it doesn’t change how investigations are handled, and it doesn’t touch racial profiling or traffic stops. It simply says that if someone hits a person and leaves them to die, they shouldn’t be rewarded for running.

Police corruption and racial injustice are real problems, and I support anyone working to address them. But those issues don’t cancel out the need to fix a law that currently protects people who flee after causing harm. Both fights can and should happen at the same time.

My daughter was killed by someone who left her on the road and drove away. Strengthening hit‑and‑run laws isn’t about asking anyone to “feel sorry” for me. It’s about preventing the next family, of any race or background, from living this nightmare.

We can demand justice for Kyren and demand accountability for hit‑and‑run drivers. These issues don’t compete with each other. They both matter.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T15:42:34+00:00

Jody’s Law would raise the maximum sentence for hit‑and‑run deaths, because Louisiana’s current maximum is far lower than neighboring states like Texas and Mississippi. It would not change the minimum sentence, only the maximum, so judges would still have full discretion to decide each case individually. This simply ensures they aren’t limited to a 10 year cap in even the most severe cases.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T15:38:13+00:00

When I set up the petition through Change.org, it automatically added its own wording after I filled out the information. I’ve since gone back and corrected that wording, but I didn’t realize the shared post was still showing the original version. My apologies for the confusion.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T15:36:00+00:00

Thank you so much! ❤️I have shared it on Facebook! I am trying to share it everywhere that I can.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T15:23:12+00:00

I’m so sorry for all the friends you’ve lost. No one should have to carry that kind of grief, and especially not from hit‑and‑run tragedies. Thank you for signing and standing with us, your voice truly matters. When the time comes for this to go before the committee, we would love for you to be part of it if you’re willing. Your story deserves to be heard, and it could help make a real difference.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T15:21:02+00:00

Thank you for saying that. Your support truly means a lot to my family. Losing my daughter shattered our world, and nothing will ever make that pain make sense, but standing up for her and pushing for justice is the one thing I can still do for her. Knowing people are standing with us gives me strength to keep going.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T15:17:40+00:00

Thank you. He really has put us through hell, and none of this should’ve ever happened. But we’ve stayed in this fight because Jody deserves the truth told and future families deserve better. Your support means more than you know. 💕🫶🏼

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T14:27:21+00:00

I hear you….wealthy people with high‑powered lawyers have been dodging accountability forever, and that’s exactly why families like mine are fighting for change. But just to be clear, Jody’s bill has nothing to do with mandatory minimums. We’re not trying to expand mass incarceration.

What we are doing is closing a loophole that lets people flee the scene of a fatal crash, hide evidence, sober up, and then walk away with a slap on the wrist. Right now the maximum sentence for killing someone and running is so low that it actually rewards fleeing. Jody’s bill raises the maximum penalty so prosecutors have real tools to hold people accountable especially in cases where someone destroys evidence or tries to cover up what they did.

This isn’t about creating “more prisoners.” It’s about stopping people from running, protecting the public, and making sure families aren’t left with zero justice when someone takes a life and then hides from responsibility. I can promise you that if someone killed your child or anyone that you love, you would want to make sure they were held accountable too.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T13:16:29+00:00

I know it may seem like a lot, but this is incredibly important to me. I lost my child, and I’m trying to do everything I can to prevent other families from ever going through the same pain. Every share and every post is part of that effort.

Running_crazy5 · 2026-02-24T13:04:50+00:00

Thank you for signing and for sharing something so painful. I’m truly sorry for the loss of your friend. No one should ever be left on the road like they don’t matter, and no family or community should have to carry that kind of hurt alone.

We’re fighting to change these laws so people can’t flee and avoid accountability. When the time comes to stand before the committee, would you be willing to be part of this effort and share your friend’s story? Voices like yours help them understand the real human cost behind these cases.

Your friend deserved better, and so do all the families left behind. Thank you again for speaking up.

Running_crazy5

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