Idaho lawmakers advocate for law to protect victim’s rights
Today is National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims. Idaho lawmakers are trying to make sure victims of crime are heard with Marsy’s Law.
Marsy’s Law is about the victim’s rights that often get overlooked. Lawmakers kicked off a campaign to get the law passed in Idaho. One rape victim bravely shared her story and why she believes Marsy’s Law needs to be passed.
“Being a victim of sexual assault and rape is the worst thing I have ever experienced,” Lauren Busdon said. “Being left out of opportunities to testify, having no contact orders violated with no repercussions, not having forewarning about upcoming hearings, being paraded in front of my rapist’s family and being forced to sit in cafeterias only made it worse. It re-victimizes a person all over again.”
The law comes after a family ran into their daughter’s accused murderer one week after she was killed. They had no warning he was released on bail. Marsy’s Law protects victims from something like this happening and gives them a voice.
“It will mean that instead of five minutes before a hearing, they’re given days or weeks hearing notices,” Susan Nalley, Victim Witness Coordinator for the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, said. “It will make sure that they know when the prisoners, when the suspect, is released, when he’s out. Just so that they don’t run into him somewhere not knowing that they had been released.”
Idaho passed a victim’s rights law in 1994. Marsy’s Law would reinforce those rights and make them stronger. The law already has support from many crime fighting organizations in Idaho.
“This bill and this whole process has a lot of support from the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police, the Sheriff’s Association, other law enforcement related organizations,” Sgt. Bryan Lovell, president of the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police, said. “Because we fell that victim’s rights are important, they should have that equal set of rights as everyone else. Because they didn’t choose to be victims.
The law was passed unanimously by the state senate during the 2017 legislative session, but was stalled in the Idaho House. Lawmakers are hoping to get it passed during the upcoming session. You can find out more about Marsy’s Law here.
