MAYS LANDING - Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds will host a ceremony to recognize National Crime Victims' Rights Week 10 a.m. Thursday, April 27 in front of the Criminal Courthouse in Mays Landing. The event will not only highlight the hardships experienced by victims and their families, but also the year-round work of law enforcement, prosecutors and the prosecutor's Office of Victim Witness Advocacy.
The theme for the week is Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change, which calls upon communities to amplify the voices of survivors and create environments where survivors have the confidence that they will be heard, believed and supported.
The ceremony will feature Denise Moore of Atlantic City, whose grandson, Marcus Brown, was murdered on June 8, 2009 in Atlantic City. An investigation conducted by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, which required patience, cooperation and hard work, led to the arrest and conviction of Robert M. Ingram on June 8, 2012, exactly three years from the date of Marcus Brown's death.
Moore's story is more involved. In 1972, her father was murdered by two juveniles in New York City for his bicycle. Following this tragedy, she moved to Adams Court in Atlantic City, became a mother to five children. Marcus was her first grandchild. The day that Marcus was murdered, her aunt passed away as well.
Moore's series of tragedies has not stopped her from involving herself in community engagement; she served on the Board of Tenants for her apartment complex, and also created and implemented several youth-based community initiatives in Atlantic City, such as the Backpack Project, Christmas Bazaar, and serving for several years on the Parent Teacher Organization.
By highlighting her particular case as a victim/survivor, the prosecutor hopes to shine a light on the many individuals whose lives are forever impacted by violent crime, and to remind all that they are remembered, cared for, and their voices are heard.
The event will also feature Chief of Detectives Patrick Snyder, who served as the primary investigator on the case; Victim Witness Advocate Maria Sosa, who maintained regular communication with Moore from the day of the homicide through all court proceedings; and retired Chief Assistant Prosecutor Chet Wiech, who prosecuted the case and obtained a guilty plea and 30-year sentence for the defendant.
For more information on the event, National Crime Victims' Rights Awareness Month or the Office of Victim Witness Advocacy, email [email protected].
