Vulnerable, special needs rape and abuse victims to benefit from new law - NBC 15 WPMI
BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WPMI) — A bill designed to allow adult victims with special needs to testify in court away from their perpetrators is on the fast track to Governor Kay Ivey's desk for her signature. House Bill 68 exists because of a terrible incident that happened in Mobile. A vulnerable victim, a woman with special needs who was raped on Mardi Gras day 2017.
In the case of 25 year old Courtney Hickman, a woman with special needs who was sexually assaulted after being left unsupervised on a group home Mardi Gras field trip, facing her attacker in court was a daunting task.
"It’s very difficult, this allows an avenue where the judge can determine this person needs the help that may be offered out there this law creates the avenue to help those people to allow statements they have made in forensic interviews to the professional counselors to allow those statements to come to court so a jury can hear those statements," said the bill's sponsor State Rep. Matt Simpson of Baldwin County.
"What this law tries to do is to change it to make it easier so that person can experience the court so the jury can get the truth," said Simpson.
Under current law, Courtney's attacker was sentenced last year as part of a plea deal to 25 years for rape in the first degree, and 10 years for sexual abuse. However, the victim was forced to re-live the attack and essentially be victimized and hurt again. The new law will change all that for victims just like Courtney in future cases.
"The house passed the bill and the senate has passed the bill but they put an amendment on it the house I expect it to concur with the amendment on Tuesday and at that point it will go to the governor and she'll have 10 days to sign it," said Simpson.
Once the bill passes this next hurdle, the Governor's Office has indicated Governor Ivey will sign the bill into law.
source: https://mynbc15.com/news/local/vulnerable-special-needs-rape-and-abuse-victims-to-benefit-from-new-law
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