SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Victims of police violence are fighting to be included in California's victim's compensation program. They met at the state Capitol Tuesday morning and demanded action.
"It's important that we come to a medium on this and not separate those that have been murdered or abused by the police department," said Stephanie Hatten, whose son was killed by Stockton police in 2020.
To this day, Hatten recalls the hardships she and her family went through after the death of her son. Antwane Burrise was shot and killed by Stockton police in 2020. He was wanted on a homicide warrant, but his mother says the family's impact is no different.
"When I was denied some of the services such as the bill provided to me by the police from all their bullet holes shooting wildly, I was presented with a $3,500 bill to cover their damages. I was quite offended but did not have the money," Hatten said.
Under the new Senate Bill 299, she would have been eligible to receive the support she needed.
"SB 299 will remove barriers faced by victims of police violence and other violent crimes in getting the help that they deserve from the California Victim's Compensation Board," said state Senator Connie Leyva, who is the author of SB 299.
Currently, the board can not approve an application for assistance without a police report, but those aren't made available in cases involving police violence.
According to Mapping Police Violence, so far this year, police have killed 31 people in California. In 2021, that number was 156.
"If SB 299 had already been a law, our parents would have been able to take time off work to mourn and plan for his funeral. We - his sisters - could have accessed counseling to help us process our grief of losing our only brother," said Ashley Monterrosa, whose brother was killed by Vallejo police in 2020.
The families are asking for compassion instead of being revictimized all over again.
"I stand before you today, with the truth in my heart, to please reconsider some assistance and not separate us because it's police violence. It's death, it's murder, it's abuse and the feelings are all the same," Hatten said.
We reached out to the California Peace Officers Association but did not hear back from them by time of publication.
The Anti Police-Terror Project and their policy director, James Burch, said he believes it's a step in the right direction, but there is still plenty to be done for families who went without compensation.
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