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Victims' Rights

An illustration of a parole board table with two women seated and looking through paperwork while a man in a tie stands as he reads papers in his hands. Images of parole board hearings hang on the walls.
Life Inside November 8
Life Inside, Remixed: A Criminal Justice Reformer Takes on ‘Conveyor Belt Justice’
Carol Shapiro joined the New York parole board to make change. Marathon days, copious paperwork and dysfunctional hearings brought her to tears.
By The Marshall Project
Michael Bell Sr., a White man, looks at a high school photo of his son, Michael Bell Jr., a White man, while sitting at a table. Four other photos of Michael are visible beneath the high school photo of Michael Bell Jr.
Feature September 25
A Wisconsin Board Says the Real Victim of Police Misconduct Is … the Government
Michael Bell says Kenosha police killed his son and covered up the truth. A victims rights board had a different takeaway.
By
Feature September 17
The Hardest Case for Mercy
Inside the effort to spare the Parkland school shooter.
By Joe Sexton
The hand of a Black person holds a fan of an image of a Black woman wearing a black and white plaid dress. The fan reads: "In loving memory of Ta'Kiya Monet Yvette Young. August 1, 2002 - August 24, 2023."
Closing Argument September 9, 2023
When Police Kill and Use Victims’ Rights Laws to Stay Anonymous
The shooting of an Ohio pregnant woman is the latest case of police using Marsy’s Law to shield officers.
By
A group of two men and two women hug in a courtroom full of people.
Death Sentences October 31, 2022
Would a Death Sentence Help The Parkland Families Heal?
Outrage around the school shooter’s sentence reveals tensions between what some victims’ families want and the justice system’s limits.
By
Angela Bapp testified before the House Armed Services Committee, which was examining the role of the commander of prosecutions for sexual assaults in the military.
News July 30, 2019
A Unique Military Program Helps Sexual Assault Survivors. But Not All of Them.
The military gives lawyers to victims. But civilians—who make up hundreds of cases a year—are left to fend for themselves.
By
Nancy Michel, center left, who runs the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Assistance Division, advocated for a Louisiana bill that allows crime victims with criminal histories to receive state aid.
News June 10, 2019
More Families of Murder Victims in Louisiana Will Qualify for Financial Help
Lawmakers change rules after Marshall Project report on compensation fund.
By
Anthony “Amp” Campbell was denied victim compensation to help with the burial costs for his father, Johnnie Campbell, who was murdered in Florida in 2015.
Feature September 13, 2018
The Victims Who Don’t Count
Seven states won’t give victim aid to people with criminal histories. The policies fall hardest on black families.
By
Henry T. Nicholas III, left, and his mother, Marcella Leach, with a photo of his sister, Marsy Nicholas, during the Orange County Victims’ Rights March and Rally in 2013.
Feature May 22, 2018
The Billionaire's Crusade
Broadcom's Henry Nicholas is spending millions to give victims a bigger voice, but not everyone agrees.
By
Paul Storey, right, is led into court for a hearing in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2017. Storey was convicted of capital murder in 2008 for the shooting death of Jonas Cherry.
Case in Point April 2, 2018
What Victims Want
Did a prosecutor lie about whether the family of a murder victim wanted the death penalty?
By
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