Marsy’s Law Urges Law Enforcement to Uphold Victims’ Rights After McGirt Ruling
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. (October 6, 2020) - Marsy’s Law for Oklahoma, the initiative which led to the overwhelming passage of constitutionally enumerated rights for crime victims in November 2018, is calling on U.S. District Attorneys, State District Attorneys, and the State Attorney General to keep the rights of crime victims preserved in light of jurisdictional oversight concerns created by the McGirt v. Oklahoma verdict in July.
“The campaign to place these rights in the state constitution was widely viewed as a rare bipartisan success story and has already benefited countless Oklahomans who, through no fault of their own, have become victims of crime since the passage of the law. But the process of implementation is ongoing; it cannot be forgotten by the news of the day,” Marsy’s Law for Oklahoma State Director Kim Moyer wrote in a letter to the State Attorney General, District Attorneys, and U.S. Attorneys.
The letter further implores U.S. and State Attorneys to hold equal the participatory rights of crime victims while also considering the separate protections of those accused and convicted of crime; emphasizes the unwilling nature of victimization and encourages those offices and staff members to refer to the organization as a resource on the constitutional amendment moving forward.
Marsy’s Law for Oklahoma operates as an advocate and implementation resource after the successful effort to enshrine rights for victims of crime into the state constitution almost two years ago. In April, during the 2020 Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Marsy’s Law formed an advisory board of members from around the state and the group has remained available to a coalition of supporters since its launch in January 2017.