Victims seek to change the system
Re “Keep justice blind,” editorial, Sept. 26
Your opposition to Proposition 9 will certainly help “keep justice blind.” But justice cannot be blind to, or ignore, the victims of violent crime: those who are murdered, raped, robbed, assaulted or molested by predators. There is no good reason that victims are excluded from criminal proceedings. The Times implies that criminal justice cannot be fair with victim participation. Fair to whom? Victims are not inconvenient annoyances to be tolerated. How can we harm the accused’s rights or harm the system by standing up for our rights?
Victims are not attempting to “tinker” with California’s justice system. We intend to change it. Victims intend to enshrine enforceable victim rights into the California Constitution, giving victims of violent crime legal standing.
You argue that victims already have rights under Proposition 8, passed 26 years ago. That was a good law for its time. It is now time for a better law.
The days of patting victims’ hands and telling them to shut up, sit down and wait outside will end when Proposition 9 passes.
Genelle and
Jack Reilley
Laguna Beach
Jack Reilley is the chairman of Friends of Marsy’s Law -- Vote YES on Prop. 9. The Reilleys’ daughter, Robbin, was murdered in 1986.
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