Battin and Pacheco join together for public safety legislation

Senator and RivCo DA team up against elder abuse and kidnapping

Senator Jim Battin (R- La Quinta) announced today a joint effort with former Assemblyman and current Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco to pass two important pieces of public safety legislation.

The first legislation would allow elderly or dependent adults to be given the opportunity to have a support person with them during witness testimony for elder abuse crimes. Currently, juveniles are allowed to have a support person with them during difficult testimony. Battin’s legislation (SB 1343) would extend this protection so that older and dependent citizens who have been violated at least have the support of someone they can trust during what can be a very intense experience.

“Elder abuse, whether financial or physical has lasting psychological affects on the victim – the least California can do is to ease a difficult experience,” Battin stated.

DA Pacheco said, “My investigators sit through hours of intense testimony with victims and watch the intimidating affects a trial can have on a witness, this legislation is needed to provide necessary support at a very difficult time for our elderly and dependent adults.”

The second legislation introduced by Battin, and sponsored by DA Pacheco, would increase sentencing enhancements for kidnappers. SB 1344 would add one year in prison for every day a kidnapped victim was held against their will.

“This sentencing enhancement proposal stems from the 2007 Devlin Abduction, sexual abuse and kidnapping case in Missouri. No amount of time served will restore what these kidnapping cases do to the victims, but it might make a potential kidnapper think twice before committing this crime and provide a tough incentive to release a child victim as soon as possible”, said Pacheco.

“I have one year left in the legislature and it is important to me that before I leave California leads the nation in tough zero tolerance laws dealing with the safety of our children,” said Battin.

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