Marsy's Law for Wisconsin Hosts Trempealeau County Community Outreach Event

MADISON – This weekend, Marsy's Law for Wisconsin held a community outreach event aimed at educating Trempealeau County Residents – particularly those from the Latino community – about their rights under Wisconsin’s recently adopted crime victims’ rights constitutional amendment known as Marsy's Law.

“Since Marsy’s Law was enacted last year, we have been thrilled to see the real impact of the new amendment on victims of crime as they navigate the criminal justice process in Wisconsin,” said Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin Outreach Director Nela Kalpic. “We know we will continue to see the positive effects of stronger victims’ rights as stakeholders in the law enforcement and victim services communities continue to implement Marsy’s Law, and we appreciated this opportunity to help educate Trempealeau County residents about victims’ rights in Wisconsin.”

Held in partnership with the Trempealeau County District Attorney’s office, New Horizons, and Holy Family Parish, the event provided information on the new crime victims' constitutional amendment and resources available to area residents.

“Since Marsy’s Law went into effect, Trempealeau County has already seen a greater emphasis on victims’ rights and an amplification of victims’ role in the legal process,” said John Sacia, Trempealeau County District Attorney. “As we continue to implement the new amendment, an important component of the process is educating Wisconsin residents about their rights should they become a victim of crime.”

The event featured presentations in both Spanish and English, and Spanish language materials were available for attendees.

“The legal process can be extremely overwhelming for victims, and even more so for those who also must navigate a language barrier,” said Leticia Halverson, Bilingual Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate at New Horizons. “Educating Wisconsinites—particularly those for whom English is a second language—about their rights as crime victims is crucial to empowering them within the legal system.”

A full list of the rights available to Wisconsin crime victims under Marsy’s Law is available here.

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About Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin

Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin is a grassroots coalition that championed a unique proposal to give victims of crime equal rights in our state, building on Wisconsin’s laws and history of leading on this issue. The crime victims’ rights state constitutional amendment, also known as Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin, was ratified during the April 7, 2020 election with an overwhelming 75 percent of voters in support.  Marsy’s Law is named after Marsalee “Marsy” Nicholas of California who was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. Only one week after her death, Marsy’s mother and brother, Henry T. Nicholas, walked into a grocery store where they were confronted by the accused murderer. The family, who had just come from a visit to Marsy’s grave, was unaware that the accused had been released on bail. In an effort to honor his sister, Dr. Nicholas has made it his life’s mission to give victims and their families constitutional protections and equal rights