GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A candlelight vigil was held Thursday evening to honor victims of crime in Kent County.
The event was hosted by Silent Observer and the Kent County Victim Witness Unit to mark National Crime Victims’ Rights week.
READ MORE: Grand Rapids mom pushes for victims' rights after son's 1994 murder
Names of 132 victims of crime, whose names were submitted by loved ones, were read. The organizations hope the vigil brings comfort and healing to those struggling with the effects of crime.
“He meant the world to all of us, [he] still does even though he’s no longer here,” said Toniya Crump.
Last June, Crump’s father, Tony Vaughn died, in a Grand Rapids shooting on his birthday.
She remembered the 58-year-old man as a wonderful person.
Crump was also there to honor her cousin, Lashawnda Howard, who died when a drunk driver hit her in December 2019.
“Missing the ones that we don’t have, it’s really hard,” said Crump.
John Lee, her cousin, added, “Especially when they were the life of the party. They were the front runners, it wasn’t a party without them. Holidays, birthdays, and family get togethers just aren’t the same anymore.”
The families in attendance say while difficult to endure, they want people to remember their loved ones impact on the world.
Santino Ysasi’s loved ones were in attendance. He was murdered this past October along Bridge Street.
They say he always took care of others.
“The word I would use to describe Santino is resilient,” said Raquel Ysasi-Huerta, Santino’s aunt. “He was resilient and had he had a chance to fight for his life, he would be here with us.”
Six months later, Grand Rapids police still do not know who killed him.
“We need to know why,” said Rosenda Ysasi-Montalvo. “Why did somebody feel the need to take him so violently?”
Angelica Ferrer, director of the Kent County Victims Witness Unit, calls victims rights important.
“Knowing what your rights are allows a victim some autonomy,” said Ferrer. “They have some voice and choice in how they’re going to engage.”
The Michigan Constitution grants victims the following rights:
- The right to be treated with fairness and respect for their dignity and privacy throughout the criminal justice process.
- The right to timely disposition of the case following arrest of the accused.
- The right to be reasonably protected from the accused throughout the criminal justice process.
- The right to notification of court proceedings.
- The right to attend trial and all other court proceedings the accused has the right to attend.
- The right to confer with the prosecution.
- The right to make a statement to the court at sentencing.
- The right to restitution.
- The right to information about the conviction, sentence, imprisonment, and release of the accused.
According to the Alliance for Safety and Justice the state’s victims compensation fund is the worst in the nation for application rates.
It is largely due to hurdles survivors and loved ones face when applying, but recent changes hope to improve that.
Last spring, the legislature cut out a 48-hour reporting rule and extended the time to apply to the fund after a crime from one year to five years.
“With all the resources we’re putting into people who have caused harm, which are great, we also need to be putting resources into assisting people who were harmed,” said Ferrer.
