Group purses victim rights amendment to Ohio Constitution

By Marc Kovac

news@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

A group announced plans to pursue a constitutional amendment requiring notifications for victims of all legal proceedings involving the perpetrators of their crimes.

Marsy’s Law for Ohio also would ensure victims’ input into plea deals, notifications of defendants’ releases from prison, and the right to financial restitution for losses caused by criminal acts.

Cathy Harper Lee, executive director of Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center, who is among supporters of the effort, said Tuesday the proposed constitutional changes would “clearly articulate ... that victims may assert their rights” and be “treated with fairness, dignity and respect.”

“They are very common-sense things,” she said, adding, “In many, many jurisdictions throughout the state of Ohio, victims’ rights are being ignored.”

Backers of the proposal said they submitted their initial paperwork to the attorney general Tuesday afternoon. Pending approvals from that office and the state ballot board, the group would have to collect more than 305,000 signatures from registered Ohio voters by early July in order to qualify for the general election.

Comparable ballot efforts have been approved in a handful of other states – voters in North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana approved similar measures last year.

Rights spelled out in the proposed Ohio amendment include timely notice of criminal proceedings, opportunities for victims to attend and be heard as part of those proceedings, and reasonable notice of the release or escape of the accused.

The bill is named in memory of Marsy Nicholas, who was killed by an ex-boyfriend.