Senate Panel Approves Cornyn Measure to Establish National Day to Remember Murder Victims
Press Release
Senate Panel Approves Cornyn Measure to Establish National Day to Remember Murder Victims
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday unanimously approved U.S. Sen. John Cornyn's bipartisan resolution, S. Res. 326, to establish September 25 as a National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims. The measure is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
"Honoring and remembering murder victims is important because the pain of losing a loved one through murder is exceptionally difficult. The National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims provides an opportunity to honor the memories of murder victims and to recognize the impact on surviving family members," Sen. Cornyn said. "It's encouraging to see this measure move forward, and I hope all of my colleagues will join me in supporting it."
This resolution builds on Sen. Cornyn's efforts to crack down on murderabiliathe selling of tangible goods owned or created by convicted murderers. In May, Sen. Cornyn introduced the Stop the Sale of Murderabilia to Protect the Dignity of Crime Victims Act of 2007, S. 1528, to protect victims' rights and combat the exploitation of criminal activity. U.S. Reps. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., and Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., introduced House legislation similar to Sen. Cornyn's murderabilia bill last week.
Sen. Cornyn's office has worked closely this year with Andy Kahan, a longtime opponent of murderabilia sales and director of the Houston Mayor's Office Crime Victims Assistance Division. In Houston and Dallas this summer, Sen. Cornyn met with city and county officials, local law enforcement officials, and victims' rights and anti-crime organizations to discuss his efforts to combat murderabilia on the federal level, built on Kahan's work over the last several years.
"It is reprehensible that when criminals are supposed to be paying their debt for their misdeeds, many are instead turning to the Internet, exploiting their notoriety and profiting from their deplorable crimes," said Sen. Cornyn. "Even more tragic is the effect this practice has on crime victims and their families. Many have already suffered immeasurably through the crime itself and the often lengthy process of bringing the criminal to justice. These murderabilia sales slow the healing process, prevent the closure that crime victims deserve and make them suffer yet again."
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