U.S. Senate Nominee Bill Hagerty Endorses Marsy’s Law For Tennessee

August 31, 2020  - Today, Marsy’s Law for Tennessee announced the endorsement of the U.S. Senate Republican Nominee, former Ambassador to Japan, and former Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty. 

“Victims of crime and their families have been through enough. The justice system should not add to their pain,” said Hagerty. “Currently, crime victims find existing Tennessee law fails to provide them with equal protection to the accused. I support Marsy’s Law for Tennessee because it will strengthen the rights of crime victims in the state constitution.” 

More than twenty years ago, 89 percent of Tennesseans voted to give crime victims the rights they deserve by adopting a Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights. But unfortunately, victims find these rights to be unenforceable under current law. Marsy’s Law for Tennessee will ensure that victims of crime have equal, enforceable constitutional rights by strengthening existing laws in the state constitution. 

Lawmakers and leaders on both sides of the aisle support Marsy’s Law for Tennessee.

“We appreciate Ambassador Hagerty’s endorsement and thank him for his support of crime victims,” said Marsy’s Law for Tennessee State Director Bonnie Brezina. “Crime victims have often felt ignored and Marsy’s Law for Tennessee will not only give them a voice, but it will ensure their rights are protected.”

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.