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Victim Witness Assistance

The overall purpose of our Victim Witness Assistance Program is:

To enhance and protect the necessary role of crime victims and witnesses within the Federal criminal justice process; to form partnerships with State and local communities to establish and provide important victim services and rights; and to assure our best efforts in affording victims the following rights pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 3771:

Rights of Crime Victims:

  1. The right to be reasonably protected from the accused.
  2. The right to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any public court proceeding, or any parole proceeding, involving the crime or of any release or escape of the accused.
  3. The right not to be excluded from any such public court proceeding, unless the court, after receiving clear and convincing evidence, determines that testimony by the victim would be materially altered if the victim heard other testimony at that proceeding.
  4. The right to be reasonably heard at any public proceeding in the district court involving release, plea, sentencing, or any parole proceeding.
  5. The reasonable right to confer with the attorney for the Government in the case.
  6. The right to full and timely restitution as provided in law.
  7. The right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay.
  8. The right to be treated with fairness and with respect for the victim's dignity and privacy.
  9. The right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement.
  10. The right to be informed of the rights under this section and the services described in section 503(c) of the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 10607(c)) and provided contact information for the Office of the Victims' Rights Ombudsman of the Department of Justice.

In addition to the rights that victims are entitled to, we routinely provide victims/witnesses with the following services:

Information on medical facilities, social services, availability of compensation, availability of public and private programs which provide counseling, treatment and other support, notice of the status of the investigation and the prosecution of the crime, notice of the opportunities for allocution to the presiding judge, prepaid transportation and lodging arrangements, secure waiting areas while at court proceedings, return of property held as evidence, employer or creditor intercession/notification, child care assistance, and payment of forensic rape exams and other rights and services pertaining to notification, testing and services for crime victims in sexual assault cases.

The Victim Witness Information Form is used throughout this state to assist U.S. Attorneys' Offices and other federal agencies with their statutory obligations to advise the courts of the appropriate restitution to be awarded to victims.

Toll-free Telephone Number for the Southern District of Florida Victim-Witness Coordinators:

Southern District of Florida, SDFL Contact: (888) 513-0867.

For current information regarding a particular case, contact the Victim-Witness Coordinator as indicated.

Current Case Information:
United States vs Jonathan Donohue
United States vs Luiz C. Capuci, Jr.

Citizen Complaint Hotline, (305) 961-9173

Citizen Complaint Email Address: USAFLS-Citizencompla@usdoj.gov

Updated July 5, 2022