PORTSMOUTH, Va. — CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to clarify that the grant accepted by Portsmouth City Concil was part of a program that's been active in Portsmouth for more than 20 years and one that is used by all Commonwealth's Attorney's Offices in the state of Virginia. It is not a formal witness protection program, which would provide different services.
Portsmouth City Council members voted Tuesday to accept the city's annual funding from the state and federal levels to support its Victim Witness Program.
The $514,068 grant comes from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and goes to the program run by the Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney. The city said the program has been around for decades and helps almost 14,000 victims each year.
The program helps ensure that crime victims and witnesses receive fair and compassionate treatment while participating in the criminal justice system, according to the program's website. It is not a formal witness protection program, which would provide different services.
City leaders in both Portsmouth and Norfolk have, however, expressed the need for a statewide witness protection program.
In October 2022, Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney, Stephanie Morales, spoke out about the problem, saying, “People who are witnesses and in fear for their safety...that fear is real. We need to be able to place resources behind protecting the members of our community when they come forward.”
In addition, Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney, Ramin Fatehi, has expressed frustration over the fact that his team of prosecutors struggled to get key eyewitnesses to testify in the case surrounding the deadly shooting outside Chicho's in Downtown Norfolk in March 2022. It left three people dead and others hurt.
During that investigation, police arrested a man whom they believed was the one who fired multiple rounds outside the bar late that night. A judge later released the suspect, partially because prosecutors could not bring in witnesses as evidence in the case.
Stop the Violence 757 advocate, Freddie Taylor Sr., told 13News Now he would also like to see more funding in the state's witness protection program.
