LBA Statement on the Passing of Rep. Darryl Owens

We are saddened to learn of the passing of our friend and fellow Louisville Bar Association member, former State Representative Darryl Owens.

Rep. Owens was a fierce advocate and a true public servant whose relentless pursuit of justice and equity has forever changed our community for the better. He never accepted a world that told him he could not achieve the goals he set for himself, and in doing so, he threw open the doors to allow others to follow his path. We were proud to honor him with our Justice William E. McAnulty, Jr. Trailblazer Award in 2012 in recognition of his distinguished and barrier-breaking career – he was, among many other things, the first Black Assistant Prosecutor in Louisville’s Police Court; the first Black Assistant Attorney General; the first Black Jefferson County Commissioner; the first Black President of the Legal Aid Society; and the first Black candidate for Louisville Mayor. 

His presence will be sorely missed, but we can take comfort in knowing his legacy will continue. Our thoughts are with the Owens family during this difficult time.

— Seth A. Gladstein, LBA President