Victims of Crime and Leniency
You may feel like no one else knows what you are going through.
We know the path you are traveling is hard.
No one has to fight this battle alone.
We are here to help you.
NEW WEATHER CANCELLATION DATE
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Arrowhead Country Club
50 Ocala Drive, Montgomery, AL
For more information or to register: https://vocalonline.org/golf-classic/
National Crime Victims' Rights Week
April 6 - 12, 2025
The State Vigil will be held on April 11, 2025, at the Attorney General's Office located at the corner of Dexter Avenue & Bainbridge Street starting at 6:00 pm with the program beginning at 7:00 pm.
If you would like to add your loved one's testimonial to the Vigil Memorial Program, please use the button link to access the form and upload a photo. Additional information is available at:
The Inagural Voices For Victims 5K was held held on September 7, 2024. The event was held in Montgomery where the grassroots movement for crime victims' rights began in Alabama. Participants started the race on Washington Avenue In front of the Alabama State Capital and followed Dexter Avenue to the River Walk and historic Montgomery ending at the Avenue of Flags.
It was a great event in support of crime victims across Alabama. We look forward to next year and seeing you there!
See more pictures at: https://runsignup.com/Race/
Can you help?
There are many ways that you can be involved and help us make a difference in the lives of crime victims.
Are you a crime victim or survivor? You can set your own pace. Share information about upcoming legislation or events. Share a social media post with your friends and introduce them to VOCAL.
There is a place for everyone.
And a cape that fits you just right.
Email us at [email protected]
Due to the increasing cost of USPS mailing we are cleaning up our mailing list and also sending out our monthly newsletter and updates by email.
Please follow the link to update your preference on receiving information.
CALL TO ACTION!
The Alabama Legislative Session is over for 2024. We must continue to organize our efforts concerning crime victims rights and public safety.
There is a well-funded and organized movement to focus on the rights and conditions of convicted felons. The effect on the victim is not part of this conversation. We must step up and let our legislators know what crime does to us and our community.
Maintaining all of the progress that has been achieved for over four decades ins a constant effort. Please join us as we prespare for February 2025! We will be sending out updates about how you can effectively get your voice across to those who will vote on the passage of bills that effect your community.
VOCAL's "Angels in the Kitchen" Cookbook is ready to order! Please follow the link below to place your order:
Recent Changes in Crime Victim Related Law
Amendment 1: Denying bail to defendants charged with violent crimes
Known as Aniah’s Law, Amendment 1 would allow judges to deny bail to individuals charged with any of the following 13 first-degree violent crimes: capital murder, murder, kidnapping, rape, sexual torture, sodomy, domestic violence, human trafficking, burglary, robbery, arson, terrorism and aggravated child abuse.
The amendment actually expands upon a constitutional provision that allows judges to deny bail for defendants charged with capital offenses, such as murder. The amendment would make clear that all of the violent crimes listed would fall under that jurisdiction.
The law is named after Homewood-native Aniah Blanchard, a 19-year-old student at Southern Union State Community College who was abducted in Auburn in late 2019 and later killed. The man accused of her murder was out on bail awaiting his trial for a previous kidnapping case.
Revocation of bail would not be automatic. Before a decision could made, the judge would have to hold a hearing, allowing both prosecutors and defense attorneys to present evidence in the case.
What Sets Us Apart
At VOCAL, we have been helping victims and their rights for more than four decades. We’re an advocacy group for victims’ rights.
On the 45th anniversary of her daughter's death, Miriam Shehane shares the story of Quenette, and the effect her life had on crime victims in Alabama. VOCAL, Victims of Crime and Leniency was born from the tragedy that the Shehane family endured and their willingness to allow Quenette's legacy to help those who came after them.
Call 334-262-7197 or email us at [email protected] for updated
Support Group Information
If you are a victim of crime or a surviving family member that has received notice of a parole hearing or if you need information regarding the parole or pardon process, you can contact VOCAL at 334-262-7197 or email to [email protected]
Advocates are available to assist you and lodging is available for overnight prior to a hearing at no cost to crime victims.
Amendment 3: Notification of commutation
Amendment 3 would require the governor to provide notice to the attorney general and the victim’s family prior to granting a reprieve or commutation to a person sentenced to death. It also voids the reprieve or commutation if the governor does not provide notice.
The current constitution gives the governor of Alabama the power to commute a death sentence to life imprisonment or issue a reprieve from an execution. The amendment would not otherwise limit or restrict the governor’s ability to grant reprieves or commutations.
The amendment would place restrictions on a power that Alabama governors rarely use. According to the Montgomery Advertiser, Fob James is the only Alabama governor to have commuted a death sentence since the state resumed carrying out executions in 1983.
Almost 17 years after Lisa Ann Millican, 13, was raped and murdered, her family was told to prepare: The state soon would set an execution date for the woman a DeKalb County jury had convicted of brutally killing Lisa.
Instead, the family got a "complete sucker punch" from then-Gov. Fob James, Cassie Millican said. A few days before leaving office in 1999, James commuted Judith Ann Neelley's death sentence to life in prison. Alabama laws at the time meant not only would Neelley escape execution, but she would also be eligible for parole.
Lawmakers grill parole board chair over low appeal rates
Beginning in 2019, applicants have been granted parole at a sharply declining rate. By Jacob Holmes Published on October 24, 2024 at 7:43 am CDT Article can be found at: Alabama Political Reporter Lawmakers grill parole board chair over low approval rates Leigh Gwathney, chair of the Alabama board of paroles, faced tough questions from…
AG Marshall: Metro Area Crime Suppression Unit could be effective in Birmingham
By: Austen ShipleySeptember 27, 2024 Article courtesy of AG Marshall: Metro Area Crime Suppression Unit could be effective in Birmingham – Yellowhammer News In light of Birmingham’s most recent fatal mass shooting, state authorities are now offering the city’s embattled police department additional resources to fight the rapidly growing crime rate. Alabama’s top law enforcement official,…
Dysfunctional parole board forces prisons to take matters into their own hands
Parole continues to be a rare privilege granted to exceedingly few incarcerated people. By Alex Jobin Article courtesy of: https://www.alreporter.com/2024/09/06/dysfunctional-parole-board-forces-prisons-to-take-matters-into-their-own-hands/ Published on September 6, 2024 at 7:00 am CDT For years, Alabama’s parole system has faced scrutiny, as the rate of prisoners granted parole has plummeted since Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles Chair Leigh…
Together We Can!
VOCAL can provide:
- Safety & Refuge for Victims in Alabama
Victims of Crime and Leniency (VOCAL) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established in 1982. We are an advocacy group for victims’ rights consisting of concerned citizens, victims of crime and their families, law enforcement officers, attorneys, and others interested in reducing crime and improving the plight of its victims.
- Public Education & Awareness
VOCAL Angel House advocates for victims’ rights and services for victims of violent crime, providing direct services to victims and their families and public education and awareness.
- Victim Advocates
Our advocates work closely with the staff in all phases of the Criminal Justice System, assisting with tasks such as:
