SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Marsy’s Law, which guarantees victims’ rights in the South Dakota constitution, is not always being followed as intended.
KELOLAND Investigates exposed issues with the Statewide Automated Victim Information & Notification or SAVIN system. KELOLAND’s Angela Kennecke spoke with victims in one case who told us they repeatedly did not get adequate notification of upcoming hearings and in some cases they got wrong information.
SAVIN’s program coordinator told them the notification on the offender were “timed out,” and that the tech company responsible for the software was “working on it.”
The Attorney General’s Office called it a “rare issue,” however, one Marsy’s Law advocate and victim of domestic violence says she sees it happen all the time.
“You’re supposed to know when they get out and they’re supposed to call you and contact the victim. That didn’t happen in one of my cases as well,” Holly Wethor, Victim’s Rights Advocate, said.
But that’s not the only issue our KELOLAND News investigation has uncovered. A rape victim says her rights have also been violated by a judge who isn’t following the letter of Marsy’s Law. She has come forward to share her story Monday night on KELOLAND News at 10 p.m.
