NORFOLK, Va. — Tuesday marked two years since the deadly shooting outside Chicho’s Pizza Backstage in Downtown Norfolk.
Sierra Jenkins, Malik Harris and Marquel Andrews died in the shooting. Two others were hurt.
The man Norfolk police pinned to the crime walked out of court a free man in November of 2022 after witnesses failed to testify. To this day, no one is convicted for the crime.
“Either way, she’s gone, and a conviction won’t bring her back," said Maurice Jenkins, Sierra Jenkins' father.
We don't know for sure if witness intimidation played a role in prosecutors withdrawing charges. Still, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi said it emphasizes the need for state-funded witness protection programs.
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“I know for a fact, having prosecuted for 17 years that witness intimidation plays a huge part in why four out of every ten murderers are never arrested," Fatehi said.
Virginia lawmakers approved a budget in September that allocated $1 million for a witness protection program. The funding is meant to support families who may face intimidation or danger for their cooperation with an investigation and prosecution of serious crimes.
“That provided some hope. For the first time in Virginia’s history, we were going to have a witness protection program funded," Fatehi said.
However, the timeline of when localities will receive that funding from Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration remains unclear.
“Six months later, the administration hasn’t dulled out a single dollar of that program," Fatehi said. "Six months of additional witnesses. Six months of additional heartache and anxiety.”
“If they actually decide to move forward in the criminal justice system... they’re very fearful of the repercussions of that. We often see intimidation because the abuser does not want the survivor to pursue anything," Co-Assistant Director of the Norfolk Family Justice Center Rebekah Borrelli told 13News Now.
Borrelli said she often works with victims who are afraid to speak up.
“I think one of the most common responses we hear is, ‘I just don’t want to make things worse,’” she explained.
Borrelli called the million-dollar funding a step in the right direction.
13News Now reached out to a spokesperson for Youngkin's office for clarity on when localities can expect to receive funding for the witness protection program. We’ve not yet heard back.
Just last week, President Joe Biden signed millions of dollars in federal funding for projects in Hampton Roads. That includes nearly $1 million for the Virginia Witness Protection Program.