Good evening and thank you for
attending the 16th annual homicide victims’ memorial
service. Over the past 15 years, we have honored hundreds of victims
who lost their lives due to violence. Each year, we have hope that
the New Year will bring a reduction in the number of violent deaths.
Last year at this time, we remembered 51 victims. Sadly, this year we
are remembering 59 of our citizens who have died as a result of
violence since last October. Even more disturbing, nine of these are
children.
Tonight, we will add an ornament to
our tree for each of those victims. The ornaments will then be
permanently displayed on the Homicide Victim Memorial Wall, on the
second floor of the Common Pleas Court Building, outside the offices
of my Victim/Witness Division. I want to offer my deepest sympathy to
each of you as you struggle with your loss and try to find ways to
come to terms with your grief. Getting through the holiday season is
often difficult. We hope that you will find some comfort in this
service.
For those of you who have lost loved
ones due to violence, whether this year or in years past, I want you
to know that my staff is here for you and extend to you the offer of
whatever assistance we can give.
For the survivors of homicide, we hope
that this evening helps to ease the feelings you have from losing a
loved one to a senseless act of violence.
For those of us in the justice system,
we are reminded once again of the human tragedy behind every case. We
are also reminded why we do the work we do.
I hope that this evenings service will
let you know that your loved one will not be forgotten, and serve to
remind us that each one of us needs to do everything in our power to
reduce senseless violence in our community.
Once again, let me extend my heartfelt
sympathy to each of you.
