Victim Resources
Seeking justice on behalf of victims and their families and ensuring that they have access to all the resources at our disposal is of the utmost importance to everyone in the Graves County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Victims of crime have certain basic rights in Kentucky. If you are the victim of a crime, you are entitled to receive notice of court proceedings; protection from intimidation, harassment, and retaliation; referral information for financial assistance, social and medical services, and community treatment programs; and you have the right to make a Victim Impact Statement at the time of sentencing and parole hearing, to describe the effects of the crime on you and your family.
Victim’s Advocates
Graves County’s Commonwealth Attorney’s Office has an excellent Victim’s Advocate, Denise Brazzell (pictured below) whoe highly capable and motivated to see that victims are treated with respect and receive all the help and assistance she is able to provide.
Victim Rights / Marsy’s Law
The 2020 Kentucky Constitutional Amendment referred to as Marsy’s Law provides the following rights to you as a crime victim:
- You have the right to be treated with fairness, respect, dignity, and to be protected from intimidation or harm throughout the criminal and juvenile justice process
- You have the right, upon request, to be informed about victims’ rights, criminal proceedings, and if the accused is arrested, released, or escapes
- You have the right to have your safety, dignity, and privacy to be considered
- You have the right to be heard at bond, bail release, pleas, or sentencing
- You have the right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay
- You have the right to be present at criminal proceedings
- You have the right to consult with prosecution
- You have standing to assert your rights, have an attorney assert your rights, or request the Attorney for the Commonwealth assert your rights
- You have the right to full restitution paid by the convicted
Learn more at www.MarsysLaw.us and the KCAA Crime Victim Rights page.
Frequently Asked Questions
I didn’t want the person arrested and charged with a crime, can I drop the charges? No, once the defendant is charged with a crime by a law enforcement officer, the victim can not drop the charges. Only a prosecutor, after a careful review of the case, can make the determination to dismiss a case. We certainly understand that there are many reasons why a victim may want a case dismissed, and our prosecutors will take the victim’s desired outcome into consideration when evaluating the case.
If the judge has ordered the defendant to have “no contact with the victim” but you want contact with the defendant while the case is pending, you need to contact the victim advocate or prosecutor assigned to the case.
If the prosecutor and the defendant’s attorney are able to reach a plea bargain, the case can be resolved quickly.
If the case can not be resolved and one side requests a trial by jury, the case could last for several months or longer. The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a large backlog and all cases are moving slower than normal.
Important Phone Numbers:
Graves County Attorney’s Office – 270-247-6321
Graves County Sheriff’s Office – 270-247-4501
Graves County Circuit Clerk – 270-247-1733
Mayfield Police Department – 270-247-1981
KSP Post 1 – 270-856-3721
Lotus Children’s Advocacy and Sexual Assault Center – 270-534-4422
Merryman House – 270-443-6001
Vine – vinelink.com or 1-866-277-7477