The Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation on Tuesday to allow an "appropriate photograph" of a homicide victim prior to their murder to be shown during a trial.
This action will guarantee that murder victims will have the same rights as other victims of crime in Tennessee, said District Attorney General Steve Crump, who is over the Tenth Judicial District.
Crump has been advocating for this legislation, saying that for decades trail judges have not allowed pictures of the victims to be shown in court, fearing that it will cause a verdict to be overturned.
"The result of this trend was murder trials in which the only 'presence' allowed for the victim is the image of her body -- or remaining portions of it -- at the crime scene," Crump said in a written statement.
Crump thanked Tenth Judicial District legislators, Senators Mike Bell and Todd Gardenhire, and Representatives Kevin Brooks, Dan Howell, John Forgety and Jimmy Matlock for their strong support.
In 1998 the "Victim's Bill of Rights" was enacted into law, guaranteeing victims the right to be present at all critical stages of criminal justice proceedings where the accused has a right to be present.
"As prosecutors, we are obligated to see justice, and we know that a victim's voice must be heard," Crump said. "Because victims of murder cannot speak on their own behalf, they should at least be seen."