NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Advocates said it's time the state puts victims before the money after a bill to test rape kits by 30 days failed in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Vera Wyatt is the co-founder of Tennessee Voices for Victims. She started her advocacy after her sister-in-law was raped and murdered in 1991. Wyatt has been advocating for victims of crime for more than 30 years, which is why she stood behind a bill to test rape kits within 30 days.
"This bill would not only prevent a crime, but it would also ease the mind of the victim that had happened to it just make sense," she said.
But the bill failed.
"It is a safety issue," Wyatt said. "When you look at the big picture, if that person, that rapist, is still out there, and that DNA could possibly track him down, why would we not want to do it?"
This was the second attempt by Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis. He said he tried to get this bill passed nine years ago. He believes Eliza Fletcher would still be here today if the bill was law. Fletcher was kidnapped and murdered in Memphis while on a morning run back in September.
"Unfortunately had we passed that bill in 2014, his results came back in 30 days, and he would have been off the streets and then the Eliza Fletcher will probably still be alive today," Parkinson said.
Investigators were able to make an arrest because of DNA left at the scene. It was later learned the DNA of the accuser matched a rape kit from 2021 that wasn't tested until nearly a year later.
"The will of the people wanted something done in response to Eliza Fletcher — nothing. The will of the people wanting something done in response to Tyree Nichols — nothing. The will of the people wanted something done in response to The Covenant School shooting — nothing. And that's, that's, that's astounding to me," Parkinson said.
Testing the kits comes at a cost — Parkinson asked for more than $5 million in the upcoming budget to pay for the testing. It would have cost more than $3.5 million in the years after.
"We have the money. You know, we put another $250 million into the rainy-day fund which put us at $2.05 billion in our rainy-day fund," said Parkinson.
Wyatt says she hopes Parkinson doesn't give up.
"Money is always a discussion. I think you just have to look at priorities and see what's important when you're talking about the safety of people. That has to be number one. "
More forensic staff positions will be added to TBI labs to help with the backlog of kits.
Funding for these positions will be included in the state’s upcoming fiscal year.
