The city of Indianapolis spent $200,000 in 2022 to help witnesses keep themselves and their families safe before they testify in court. The fund has paid for moving expenses, security systems, rent and even diapers for witnesses.
In some cases, the money helped move people out of a dangerous place or installed a home-security system. It also paid for car repairs and bus passes.
And in a county that has seen a record number of homicides each year for three of the past four years, officials say this program is one key to holding people accountable and stemming the violence. Melissa Jude understands the need for a program that helps witnesses who fear retaliation for cooperating with police. Her 20-year-old son Chandler Bussey was killed near Arsenal Park on the north side on June 12, 2020.
“It's called assistance program because it's just an assist,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said. “If you have more resources, you can offer more to the people that we come into contact with each and every single day.”"It's directly impacted the prosecutor's office and our ability to move forward with with prosecutions," Mears said,.
City-County Councilor Leroy Robinson, who chairs the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, said the witness assistance money helps but there are deep problems behind the recent spike in violence.
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