By State Representative Rick Williams (R-Milledgeville)
A young girl’s careless actions by driving under the influence of marijuana would soon cost my father his life.
James A. Williams was a man of faith, humility and selflessness. After serving as a private in the U.S. Army, he went on to carry his heart of loyalty and courage to his duties as a father and husband.
An unjust act that resulted in an unjust loss left my family in a state of darkness, even more than 10 years later. Injustice, however, was not something we were prepared to receive from our legal system.
As we geared up for trial, my family sought to receive a certain level of closure in the accused’s sentencing. One day before the trial was set to take place, the defense attorney made a plea deal with the defendant, which gave her a lesser sentence.
My family was not told about the plea deal in advance. My family was not given a say in the fate of my father’s killer. My family was devastated, kept in the dark and isolated by the system that is intended to protect us.
My family’s story is the story of countless others in Georgia, which illustrates the desperate need to give crime victims enforceable, constitutional rights. Marsy’s Law would do just that by providing victims and their families with the right to be notified of legal proceedings and the right to be heard in court.
Marsy’s Law would provide crime victims’ with the following basic rights:
- The right to receive information about crime victims’ rights and services available to crime victims;
- The right to receive notification of proceedings and major developments in their criminal case;
- The right to receive timely notification of changes to the offender’s custodial status;
- The right to be present at court proceedings;
- The right to provide input to the prosecutor before a plea agreement is finalized;
- The right to be heard at plea or sentencing proceedings or any process that may result in the offender’s release;
- The right to restitution.
Since 2010, Georgia has had victims’ rights in state law, but victims often find that the laws are not enforceable. Georgia is currently one of only 15 states without constitutional rights for victims. In theory, Marsy’s Law would not add a burden on Georgia’s criminal justice system because our criminal justice system is supposed to enforce these rights already.
After passing the state Senate during the 2017 legislative session by a vote of 50-4, Marsy’s Law, or Senate Resolution 146 will come before the State House next session. As a Georgia state representative, it is my obligation to ensure that members of our community are given the protections necessary to respond to acts of injustice. Beyond a personal calling to ensure the passage of this legislation, it is my duty to work with my fellow legislators to bring Marsy’s Law to fruition in Georgia.
No family in Georgia deserves to be kept in the dark by the system created to protect them. That’s why, as your state representative, I vow to work to pass Marsy’s Law, which will put the victims’ rights constitutional amendment on the ballot for Georgia voters to approve.
Representative Rick Williams represents the citizens of District 145, which includes Baldwin County and portions of Putnam County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2016, and currently serves on the Higher Education, Intragovernmental Coordination, and Regulated Industries committees.
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