Witness Protection Bill Dies in State Legislature

Mississippi prosecutors are disappointed after a bill which would have allowed them to provide witness protection died in the state legislature.

The bill passed through the state Senate one month ago, but representatives from the House tell News 25 the bill did not get through committees in time to make it to appropriations, which is why it ultimately died. The Mississippi Prosecutors Association has been working on establishing a witness protection plan for years and is very disappointed they have to go another year without the resources they say are needed.

Tony Lawrence, Jackson County District Attorney, says, “It was a bill prosecutors thought was important. It was one of the top bills for the Mississippi Prosecutors Association, and we’re disappointed that we recognize the bill would have done a lot of good things for the criminal justice system in Mississippi and now we’re not going to have those good things.”

The Mississippi Prosecutors Association plans on continuing to work with legislators to keep presenting this bill until it can be passed. They feel it is necessary to help encourage people to testify in crimes of violence.