Prosecutors for Victim Justice
We are former and current prosecutors who
have served the American People in courtrooms all across our country seeking
justice for those whose lives have been shattered by crime. We are signing this
letter to show our strong, united support for the Kyl-Feinstein Crime Victims
Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution.
We are Democrats and Republicans and
Independents, members of other parties and members of no parties. We are
conservatives and moderates and liberals. We transcend whatever differences
that might divide us to unite around a simple yet profound goal: To bring basic
justice and fair play to victims of crime by securing for them rights in our
most fundamental law.
During our public service we have seen victims
shut out of the most basic procedures in our courts; not given notice of court
dates, not allowed to be present, nor be heard at critical times, not allowed
timely disposition of their cases, nor had their safety considered when key
decisions were made. These core values, the rights to notice, to be present,
and to be heard, to have safety considered and to have decisions made in a
timely manner are the minimum basic rights that a decent and fair society
should extend to crime victims in court.
Opponents of these rights, even some from
among our own ranks of prosecutors, warn of dire consequences if we do these
simple things for justice. The critics are wrong. Our courts and cases will not
be impeded by extending fair rights to crime victims. The experience in many of
our jurisdictions confirms this plain truth.
But having rights protected in only some of
our jurisdictions is not enough. These rights are so basic to fair play they
should be the birthright of every American, preserved and protected against the
whims of political or judicial change.
We strongly support the Kyl-Feinstein Crime
Victims Rights Amendment and urge all Senators and Members of Congress to send
it to the States for Ratification.