Marsy’s Law for Tennessee Honors Cindy Sims with Champion of Victims’ Rights Award

Columbia, Tenn. - Marsy’s Law for Tennessee presented Center of Hope Executive Director Cindy Sims with the Champion of Victims’ Rights Award for her dedication to helping countless domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking victims in Middle Tennessee.

“Cindy Sims and the Center of Hope team couldn’t be more deserving of this recognition,” said Marsy’s Law for Tennessee State Director Bonnie Brezina. “Her hard work in providing services to victims and education to Middle Tennesseans saves lives everyday and we thank her for championing victims’ rights.” 

Center of Hope provides a 24-hour crisis hotline, shelter, and long-term case management for victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking in Maury, Giles, Lawrence, and Wayne Counties. Their current #BeTheFriend campaign seeks to educate teens and influential adults about healthy relationships and how to be an active bystander. 

Sims endorses and advocates for Marsy’s Law for Tennessee - a law that will ensure that victims of crime have constitutional rights equal to those accused and convicted of crimes. 

“I’m proud to support Marsy’s Law for Tennessee and honored to receive this award,”  said Sims.  “My team and I work hard every day to improve the lives of victims, and Marsy’s Law will give the families we work with, and all victims in Tennessee, the rights they deserve.”

Adopting Marsy’s Law in Tennessee will provide victims with the ability to assert the critical rights to which they are promised including:

• The right to be treated with fairness for the victim's safety, dignity, and privacy;
• The right, upon request, to reasonable and timely notice of, and to be present at, all criminal public proceedings and all juvenile delinquency proceedings involving the accused;
• The right to be heard in any proceeding involving release, plea, sentencing, disposition, and parole, as well as any public proceeding during which a right of the victim is implicated;
• The right to be free from harassment, intimidation, and abuse throughout the criminal justice system, including reasonable protection from the accused or any person acting on behalf of the accused; 
• The right, upon request, to reasonable notice of any release or escape of an accused; 
• The right to refuse a request by the defendant, the defendant's attorney, or any other person acting on behalf of the defendant for an interview, deposition, discovery request, or other communication with the victim;
• The right to full and timely restitution from the offender;
• The right to a speedy trial or disposition and a prompt and final conclusion of the case after the conviction or sentence;
• The right, upon request, to confer with the prosecution; 
• The right to be fully informed of all rights afforded to crime victims.