Crime victims in Stow Municipal Court now have someone to turn to if they have questions about their case or the services available to them.
A full-time victim advocate is working in the court for the first time in 13 years.
The change is being welcomed by Stow judges and other court personnel who see advocate Jillian Loftus as a welcome — and long overdue — addition.
“I feel that is incredibly important,” said Judge Lisa Coates, one of two judges in the Stow court. “I want everybody to have the opportunity to know there is a safe place to go.”
The Stow court handles cases for the suburban communities in the northern part of the county, including misdemeanor and traffic offenses and arraignments for felonies that then are transferred to Summit County Common Pleas Court in Akron. While the municipal courts in Akron and Barberton have full-time advocates, Stow hasn’t had an advocate since 2003 when the court was still in Cuyahoga Falls. The reason for the absence is unclear, though it reportedly was due to funding and staffing issues.
The push to return an advocate to the Stow court followed the March 20 death of Kristi Bice of Hudson, who was shot and killed by her estranged husband whose domestic violence charge had been reduced in Stow court to disorderly conduct. Stephen Bice killed Kristi, the family’s Great Dane and then himself.
Though Bice’s case had been handled by Stow Judge Kim Hoover, her death prompted Coates to want to do something to better assist victims. She adopted a policy that domestic violence victims must speak to an advocate before charges in the case can be reduced. This was difficult, however, because an advocate wasn’t stationed full time at the court, with Victim Assistance instead sending an advocate from another court to Stow when requested or having an advocate talk to a victim by phone.
Coates talked to Leanne Graham, executive director of Victim Assistance Program, who had been thinking about seeking funding for an advocate in Stow court, and now made this a priority. She applied for — and was pleased to receive — $44,256 in funding from the state, enough to pay for an advocate and the supplies needed to outfit an office donated by the court.
“I think it’s a huge closure,” Graham said. “This gap has existed way too long.”
Loftus, who had been an advocate in the Akron court for 2½ years, began working in the Stow court Nov. 21. In her first month, she assisted 32 new victims to the court, most involved in domestic violence cases, and 113 returning victims. Her other clients were victims of assault, burglary, criminal damaging, harassment, homicide (surviving family members), robbery, and sexual abuse, according to Victim Assistance.
“I think it’s going great,” said Loftus, who lives in Stow. “We were missing a lot out here.”
Because of the holidays, the word about Loftus’ addition to the court is still getting out. The judges sent a memo to court personnel last week, letting them know, and Loftus will have a luncheon meeting at the court with the prosecutors who work with the court Wednesday.
Megan Raber, the Tallmadge law director who handles criminal cases for the city, said she had to request a victim advocate for cases in Stow court in the past, but Loftus is now in the court and available when an advocate is needed.
“A lot of times, victim advocates focus on the victim where prosecutors aren’t able to do that,” said Raber, who is a member of the Victim Assistance board. “Prosecutors interact with the victim, but have multiple roles.”
Hoover, who has been a judge for 21 years, said an advocate who does his or her job well is helpful in court, while an advocate who doesn’t can be a hindrance. He said Loftus is so far doing a good job in helping victims to better understand the court process and answer their questions so that, when they appear before him, they know better what to expect.
“It’s a smooth and much nicer process,” he said.
Hoover said he was blamed after the Bice murder-suicide for reducing Bice’s charges, but he thinks he did everything he could. He said domestic violence cases often are difficult because victims may change their minds about whether their loved one should be punished as the case progresses through the process.
Hoover and Coates hope Loftus will provide an additional resource to ensure that victims like Bice are aware of what’s going to happen — and of the options and resources available to them.
“It gives me piece of mind,” Coates said of the advocate’s presence.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705, swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj .