FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—Oct. 18

State Attorney Norm Wolfinger Names

Top Advocate, Cop, Attorney for Victims’ Rights

Brevard Sheriff’s Agent Cynthia Young’s work with domestic violence victims earned her the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award from State Attorney Norm Wolfinger during the office’s annual observation of victims’ rights last week.

The event featured former Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth as the guest speaker. Following his remarks, Butterworth announced that the annual Attorney of the Year Award would hereafter be known as the Norman R. Wolfinger Attorney of the Year Award. Assistant State Attorney Bill Respess was the recipient.

Wolfinger began the annual observation of victim rights in 1986, his second year in office. He will resign the post he has held continuously for the past 28 years on Jan. 6. During his remarks, Butterworth spoke about how Wolfinger and his fledgling staff were leaders in the quest for a constitutional amendment guaranteeing victims’ rights to be informed, to be present, and to be heard during court hearings concerning their cases or their loved ones.

The gathering also heard from Nola Trossman whose brother, Arnie, was murdered in 1976. She eloquently explained how her family at first could only get word of the murderer’s case from news sources, but in later years adopted new “family members”—Wolfinger and Beth Rossman, Director of Victim-Witness Services for Wolfinger--who took up their quest. Wolfinger was the prosecutor on the murderer’s case. Trossman told of how Wolfinger and Rossman, as recently as last year, traveled to Tallahassee to be with the family and to speak at Parole hearings on the case multiple times, the most recent last year. Wolfinger presented Rossman with a Lifetime Leadership Award for her many contributions to Victims’ Rights over the years.

Other awards and their recipients were: Kathy. L. King Victim Advocate of the Year Award went to Christina Vinson, an advocate with the Sexual Assault Victim Services unit at the SAO, and Michelle Glover, an advocate with the Titusville Police Department; the Outstanding Service to Victims Award went to SAO Receptionist Kathy Dudley and South Brevard Women’s Center Volunteer Receptionist Diane Reid; the Sen. Howard Futch Memorial Leadership Award went to community volunteer Delores Spearman. Wolfinger also recognized Col. Danny McKnight (Retired) with a special Leadership Award for his lifetime achievements and contributions on behalf of military personnel.

Lynne Bumpus-Hooper