The manual will save lives but also help them put lives back together.
LA GRANGE, Ky. (Aug.19, 2024) – Attorney General Russell Coleman released the 2024 Domestic Violence Prosecution Manual last week in Oldham County. The Manual is a comprehensive resource for prosecutors, victims advocates and law enforcement to crack down on these serious crimes. General Coleman was joined by several partners who contributed to the Manual, including Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit Courtney Baxter, Boone County Attorney Jordan Dallas Turner and Brittany Scordo, Director of Partner Violence and Parenting Programs at The Nest Center - for Women, Children & Families of Lexington.
According to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, more than 44% of women and nearly 33% of men in Kentucky experience intimate partner physical violence or rape in their lifetimes.
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The Manual is a product of the Attorney General’s Office of Victims Advocacy. The new edition features a section on victims’ rights under Marsy’s Law as well as implementation of The Safer Kentucky Act, HB 5, which broadened the definition of “serious physical injury” so domestic violence acts can be punishable as a felony.
Read The 2024 Domestic and Interpersonal Violence Prosecution Policy Procedure Manual.
Graves County Sheriff Jon Hayden and Ann Perkins, executive director of Safe Harbor of Northeast Kentucky, also contributed to the Manual. The multidisciplinary team was led by the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General, including Criminal Chief Rewa Zakharia, Special Counsel Denise Durbin, Assistant Attorney General Barbara Whaley, Violent Crime Resource Prosecutor Thomas Lockridge, Domestic Violence Resource Prosecutor Kathy Phillips, Assistant Attorney General Amanda Morgan, Executive Director of the Office of Victims Advocacy Robyn Diez d’Aux, and Deputy Executive Director of the Office of Victims Advocacy Aimee Clymer-Hancock.
“Domestic violence is a growing problem for families, communities and law enforcement that we cannot ignore. With this new Manual, Kentucky law enforcement and prosecutors will have the tools to ensure these serious criminals face serious consequences,” said Attorney General Coleman. “I’m grateful to our collaborators and all those across Kentucky who will use this Manual to make their communities safer.”
If you have been a victim of a crime, contact the Attorney General’s Victim Resource and Referral Line at (800) 372-2551.
“The Domestic Violence Manual is an excellent tool for prosecutors and all those agencies that work with victims of violence,” said Courtney Baxter, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit, serving Oldham, Henry and Trimble counties. “It was an honor to collaborate with other the agency representatives to update the Manual. I appreciate General Coleman’s continued support of prosecutors and law enforcement by ensuring that we have these essential resources.”
“It was an honor to contribute to a resource that will help my colleagues and me better serve our communities, keep families safe, and seek justice,” said Boone County Attorney Jordan Dallas Turner.
“The Nest – Center for Women, Children, and Families is committed to supporting survivors as they pursue remedies to keep themselves and their children safe. When those remedies include criminal prosecution, we want to do everything we can to ensure that systems meet the needs of those it’s designed to protect,” said Director of Partner Violence and Parenting Programs at The Nest Center for Women, Children and Families of Lexington Brittany Scordo. “This prosecution Manual is an important resource, and we are honored to partner with the Office of the Attorney General to achieve our shared goals of victim safety and offender accountability.”
"It was an honor to be able to participate in this effort that was spearheaded by our Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman and his staff. Incidents of domestic violence is something that has most likely touched every Kentucky family in one way or another,” said Graves County Sheriff Jon Hayden. “The severity of these cases vary, but it is vitally important that law enforcement have a standardized approach in the investigation and prosecution of these incidents.”
“This project is so important to the citizens of our state that are victims. It helps law enforcement, the courts and all related agencies that work with victims of violence,” said Ann Perkins, executive director of Safe Harbor of Northeast Kentucky. “Kentucky has always been a leader in the country for years in how we deal with domestic violence. This good work will save lives but also help them put their lives back together. I am honored to be able to help update and improve our services to our most vulnerable citizens.”
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