Fresno Leader

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21) and Anthony D’Esposito (NY-04),  Co-Chairs of the Congressional Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus, hosted the 2023 Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus Awards, which honors outstanding public servants who have dedicated their lives to helping victims of crime.

“During National Crime Victim Rights Week, we honor the service of Americans who have dedicated their lives to uplifting victims of crime,”said Costa. “As Co-Chair of the Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus, I am honored to recognize these unsung heroes, who give a voice to the voiceless. Their service and dedication make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities.”

“As a retired NYPD Detective, I have seen firsthand the effects of crime on innocent victims and am committed to working with congressional colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to support these survivors as Co-Chair of the Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus,” said D’Esposito. “Part of this advocacy includes honoring individuals in the community who go above and beyond to support victims of crime, and I am pleased to recognize several of those selfless Americans at today’s awards ceremony.”

Nominees traveled from across the country to the awards ceremony held in the United States Capitol. Each congressional office was given an opportunity to nominate an individual in their district.  A panel of crime survivor advocates reviewed and evaluated the nominations and selected the following winners:

Ted Poe Award for Excellence by a Public Official

Anne T. Donnelly is the 17th District Attorney of Nassau County in New York State and the fourth consecutive woman to hold the office. Throughout her career, Donnelly has successfully prosecuted complex murder-for-hire cases, narcotics traffickers, and investigations into the sale and distribution of counterfeit electronics, one of which resulted in the largest asset forfeiture collection in the history of Nassau County. Anne was nominated by Congressman Anthony D’Esposito.

Judge Shequitta Kelly was elected in 2015 to serve as the Judge of Dallas County Criminal Court #11, a court designated to handle cases involving family violence. Judge Kelly created the country’s first multi-facet DV offender program and implemented court docket changes which allowed cases to move through the criminal justice system on an expedited timeline. In addition, she helped create Pipeline to Possibilities, an initiative gear towards keeping the youth out of the criminal justice system. Judge Kelly was nominated by Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.

Lois Haight Award of Excellence and Innovation

Dr. Sandra Pavelka has dedicated her career to helping marginalized and underserved youth, including crime survivors. She is a Professor and Founding Director of the Institute for Youth & Justice Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University; and is an internationally recognized expert in restorative justice. She is currently helping the Ft. Myers Police Department with its Community Engagement Initiative to assist neighborhoods that have been victimized by crime and violence to heal through a restorative justice model. Dr. Pavelka was nominated by Congressman Greg Steube.

Suzanne McDaniel Public Awareness Award

Miiko Anderson serves as a Senior Deputy District Attorney in the Office of the District Attorney for the County of Fresno. She has tried and convicted some of the most egregious human traffickers and violent offenders. Miiko used her expertise to train nearly 2,000 law enforcement agents both domestically and abroad on how to identify, investigate and prosecute complex violent crimes. Miiko was nominated by Congressman Jim Costa.

Ed Stout Memorial Award for Outstanding Victim Advocacy

Julie Weintraub is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Hands Across the Bay, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting families and those with disabilities with various services including counseling, violence prevention, education, and helping stabilize families in the Tampa Bay Area who are in crisis to no fault of their own. Julie was nominated by Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna.

The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, Victim Witness Unit is dedicated to ensuring that victims of crime are treated with fairness, respect, and dignity, by providing comprehensive assistance and services to them throughout the criminal justice process to lessen the impact of crime on them and to support the prosecution in successfully seeking justice in criminal cases. The Victim Witness Unit was nominated by Congressman Joe Neguse.

Allied Profession Award

The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center (VSRC) is a place of healing and support dedicated to serving as a resource and referral center for individuals affected by the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. The center provides a wide range of services including counseling and spiritual care referrals, as well as information about financial assistance. The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center (VSRC) was nominated by Congresswoman Dina Titus.

Eva Murillo Unsung Hero Award

Victoria Greene and her daughter Chantay Love are helping grieving parents who have been affected by homicide, just like them. After losing her son, Victoria and Chantay founded Every Murder Is Real (EMIR) Healing Center, a community-based organization that advocates, educates, and supports individuals, families, and communities that have been impacted by homicide and violent crimes. Together, Victoria and Chantay are providing resources and helping survivors deal with trauma. Victoria and Chantay were nominated by Congressman Dwight Evans.

Other special guests of the ceremony included U.S. Representatives Jasmine Crockett, Dina Titus, and Dwight Evans.

A link to photos from the event is available here.

A link to the livestream is available here.

Issues: Victims' Rights

Original source can be found here.