Morris Pays Tribute to 'Forgotten' Crime Victims (VIDEO)

Residents and officials gathered in Morristown Monday to pay tribute to crime victims, just one week after the Boston Marathon bombings.

“As we can just see from last week’s tragedy in Boston, we have to keep ever vigilant to ensure the protection of our citizens and maintain the rights of victims in the justice process,” acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp told a crowd of 50. “The victims are often the forgotten people in the criminal justice system," he said at a dedication for National Crime Victims' Rights week.

Keynote speaker Richard Pompelio, an attorney with the New Jersey Crime Victims' Law Center, said the legal system has long shown "disinterest" in the victims of crimes.

"Somewhere along the way, the system began to serve the lawyers, judges and defendants and treat victims of crime with institutionalized disinterest," said Pompelio.

“We simply didn’t know how badly crime victims were treated because frankly, if it didn’t involve us personally, we didn’t care all that much. That’s human nature, there’s nothing wrong with that but that’s the way it was," said Pompelio, who is petitioning the Supreme Court to compel a murder defendant to be present at his sentencing to hear victim impact statements.

“Our philosophy has always been, it’s not our intent to diminish the rights of the accused, but to elevate the rights of the victims,” Pompelio said.

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce added she and her family felt honored that on Aug. 7 last year, Gov. Chris Christie signed the Alex DeCroce law “to further strengthen and update (victims’) rights by:”

• providing protection for victims from harassment or abuse;
• increasing victims’ access to medical assistance;
• keeping them informed of the progress and scheduling of court proceedings;
• giving victims’ impact statements greater consideration;
• guaranteeing their rights to be present at any court proceeding;

“The bill is about ... hundreds of (people) who are murdered in New Jersey every year and their loved ones who must press on in the face of unspeakable losses,” DeCroce said. “It is critically important that the ensuing court process must treat victims with dignity and compassion and ensure that they are not revictimized.”

Thomas Mastrangelo, director of the Board of Freeholders, said, "Here in Morris County, we are committed to treating crime victims with respect, dignity and compassion."

Trish Stewart, a victim witness coordinator in Morris County, said, "I thought (the presentation) absolutely captured the essence of victims' rights in the state of New Jersey. (Pompelio) speaks as a victim, a scholar of the law and a true friend of all victims of crime, not only in the state of New Jersey but throughout the nation.

"Going to the Supreme Court next Monday is a step forward in terms of the rights of victims. If the Supreme Court decides on the part of Rich Pompelio, (convicted murder defendants) will be forced to hear (the impact statements from the victims' familiy)."