LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Fayette County and Lexington's leaders commemorated Victims' Rights Week to bring awareness to crime victims and survivors. This year is about their voices.
Mary Krueger, the mother of Jonathan Krueger who was shot and killed in Lexington eight years ago, said at the podium, "Survivors are in a vulnerable position as they try to make sense of a complicated, opaque judicial process."
Krueger shared her experience navigating the justice system for seven years. Jonathan was a junior at the University of Kentucky when he was shot and killed.
She says, "The three men involved never said anything, so I’m still kind of left with wondering could it have been any different? And I don't think I’ll have any more answers than I have today. But I think people just need to know it’s a system that people just don't know much about."
Survivors who shared their stories emphasized that victims are not always the first to be heard. They say recognition weeks like this call the community to action.
Tiffany Brown is Lexington’s equity and implementation officer. She shared, "During the criminal process, your voice is actually not the one that's being heard unless it is a crime against you personally and sometimes that takes a lot of courage."
Brown shared her own story about domestic violence. She says she wanted to use her experiences and voice to show others that people are listening.
She says, "There are systemic or root cause issues that cause violence to be so prevalent in our community. I want the community to know that they are heard, they are supported, and these leaders here came to show that today."
Mary Krueger says her son believed in this community. She wants people inside and outside of the justice system to be more sensitive and empathetic.
She says, "I mean, it’s a change that is beyond any one person. I mean, you've got the judicial system; you've got how attorneys look at things. And I just think that there's a lot more thinking that needs to go on about how it’s perceived by the victim or the survivors."
A community shedding light on survivors' experiences. Today's speakers say they appreciate that this community's leaders want to give survivors a voice.
