SACRAMENTO –
Governor Jerry Brown spoke at the Victims March on the Capitol event on Tuesday and said crime victims should tell their stories whenever they can.
“Then it’s up to us to hear that story and think about it,” said Brown.
Hundreds flooded Capitol Lawn for the 5th annual event and many did tell their stories. Denise Furtado and her husband drove down from Willows because of their son, Steven. He and his girlfriend were murdered on Mother’s Day in 2008. Steven was eighteen. Steven’s girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend was convicted of the murder with a lifetime sentence without parole, said Furtado.
Furtado said her son had a bright future in front of him.
“He was a good kid. Honor roll, athlete, musician, Eagle Scout,” said Furtado.
Some crime victims spoke to their elected officials on Tuesday about public safety. One elected official, Assemblymember Mike Gatto, is a crime victim himself. His father was murdered in Silver Lake in November.
He said people in crime victim groups needed to support each other.
“It’s one group in life that you never seek to join. But it finds you,” said Gatto.