Austin.YNN.com

Austin / Round Rock / San Marcos

Change region

  43º

03/25/2007 02:57 PM

Mother of murder victim seeks counseling for jurors

By: Associated Press

A mother whose daughter was killed and dismembered is pushing for a law that would provide post-trial counseling to jurors who deliberate in cases involving graphic testimony.

Sharon Cave says she was driven to help the jurors who had to view gruesome pictures of her 21-year-old daughter's dismembered body during a murder trial in January.

Colton Pitonyak was found guilty and sentenced to 55 years in prison for killing Jennifer Cave.

The juror counseling law is sponsored by state Rep. Juan Garcia, D-Corpus Christi.

It would codify the practice of making victim counselors from the district attorney's office available to jurors.

This already happens on an informal basis in Travis County, and in jurisdictions around the country.

Garcia says under his proposal jurors would be invited to call counselors made available by their counties' district attorneys.

Copyright 2007 Associated Press, All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.