Western Mass. lawmakers and mothers fight for support for survivors of homicide victims
BOSTON (WWLP) – A western Massachusetts lawmaker is pushing for a bill focused on the backlog of unsolved homicides in Massachusetts, and he held an event elevating the voices of survivors of homicide victims.
Over the past 20 years, over half of all homicides in Massachusetts have remained unsolved. Representative Bud Williams is spearheading the campaign to reduce the unsolved homicide backlog by creating a task force under the attorney general's office.
This task force will seek to create a petition process to reopen cases, form a statewide, centralized tip line, and create a searchable public database of these unsolved crimes. At Monday's 'Survivors on the Hill' event, Williams noted that black homicide victims' cases are twice as likely to remain unsolved as their white counterparts.
'That's embarrassing,' said Williams. 'This system should work for everyone. Each and every one of us.'
Many survivors of homicide victims at the event were mothers from Springfield, as the city has one of the highest homicide rates in the state. One mother spoke to the emotional turmoil that comes with an unsolved case.
'If I can't have my son back, I at least want it to be solved. I don't want no one else's family to have to go through this,' said Relonda Ballard, a Springfield mother who lost her son David to gun violence on Union Street in 2021.
Advocates are also working towards paid leave in the aftermath of homicide for the victims' family members and enhanced survivor rights.
This bill will be eligible to pass through the end of this legislative session in 2026, but advocates and lawmakers alike say it is crucial to get the task force up and running as soon as possible.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
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