Marsy’s Law for Tennessee Honors Lt. Governor Randy McNally, Speaker Cameron Sexton with Champion Of Victims’ Rights Award

Friday, August 14 - Marsy’s Law for Tennessee presented Lt. Governor Randy McNally of Oak Ridge and Speaker Cameron Sexton of Crossville with the Champion of Victims’ Rights Award for their dedication to protecting the rights of crime victims in the Tennessee General Assembly.

"We are so grateful for Lt. Governor Mcnally and Speaker Cameron Sexton's dedication to protecting crime victims' rights," said Marsy’s Law for Tennessee State Director Bonnie Brezina. “The thousands of survivors and families in Tennessee who are victims of crime each year deserve a voice. We can’t thank them enough for fighting for them to be heard.”

Brezina presented the award Wednesday afternoon, August 12, in Nashville.

“It is all too easy for crime victims and their families to feel ignored. That’s unacceptable to me and why I have spent my career fighting on behalf of victims,” said Lt. Governor McNally. “I am tremendously grateful for this award. I will continue to make advocating for victims a priority, ensuring they are always treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”

“To receive an award championing crime victims’ rights is a great honor for me,” said Speaker Cameron Sexton. “We will do everything in our power to see that victims of crime have equal, constitutional rights.”

Senator John Stevens from Huntingdon and Representative Patsy Hazlewood from Signal Mountain have also received the award.

All of these leaders have endorsed Marsy’s Law for Tennessee - a law that will ensure that victims of crime have equal, constitutional rights on the same level as those accused and convicted of crimes.

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.

For more information, visit marsyslawfortn.com.

About Marsy’s Law
Marsy’s Law is named after Marsalee “Marsy” Nicholas of California who was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. Only one week after her death, Marsy’s mother and brother, Henry T. Nicholas, walked into a grocery store where they were confronted by the accused murderer. The family, who had just come from a visit to Marsy’s grave, was unaware that the accused had been released on bail.

In an effort to honor his sister, Dr. Nicholas has made it his mission to give victims and their families constitutional protections and equal rights. He formed Marsy’s Law for All in 2009, providing expertise and resources to victims’ rights organizations nationwide.

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