Marsy’s Law for Georgia Recognizes GOVS Director Keir Chapple with Champion Award in Honor of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

Marsy’s Law for Georgia, a leading victims’ rights advocacy group, presented the Georgia Office of Victim Services (GOVS) Director Keir Chapple with the first Champion Award of the year in honor of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). Each year, Marsy’s Law for Georgia honors individuals or organizations that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to advancing victims’ rights. As the GOVS director, Chapple is dedicated to crime victims’ rights and ensuring that they are heard at every stage of their abuser’s or attacker’s post-conviction process.

Chapple has an extensive background in victim services after his career as a Fulton County parole officer in 2005 and Assistant Chief Parole Officer in 2007, when he began volunteering at Victims' Visitors’ Day during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. After transferring to the Office of Victim Services in 2014, he became the Program Manager of the state’s Victim Offender Dialogue Program to address unwanted victim communications by offenders and assist with victim restitution issues. His conviction to victims’ rights is exemplified by his multiple certifications and continued work with national victim services organizations.

Pictured (left to right): Georgia Parole Board members Robert Markley, Chair Joyette Holmes, and Kimberly McCoy with members of the Georgia Office of Victim Services team.

Marsy’s Law for Georgia Advisory Board members (left to right): Dr. Rita Davis-Cannon, Director of Victim Services for the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia; Mel Hewitt, Isenberg & Hewitt, P.C.; and Meg Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Pictured (left to right): Marsy’s Law for Georgia Advisory Board members Mel Hewitt, Isenberg & Hewitt, P.C., and Dr. Rita Davis-Cannon, Director of Victim Services for the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia; Keir Chapple, Director of the Georgia Office of Victim Services, and Marsy's Law for Georgia Advisory Board member Meg Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

“I am honored to recognize Keir Chapple and to underscore that victims’ rights do not end at case disposition,” said Dr. Rita Davis-Cannon, Marsy’s Law for Georgia advisory board member and Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia victim services director. “Through his leadership, a strong team delivers seamless post-adjudication support, ensuring the rights guaranteed under Marsy’s Law remain protected beyond the courtroom.”

This year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week falls on April 19-25 with the theme, “Listen. Act. Advocate.” For registered victims, GOVS is the “one-stop-shop” for all post-conviction services representing the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, embodying each of this year’s NCVRW’s themed tenets.

“Victims’ rights are not an 'extra' part of the legal process; they are the heart of it,” said Keir Chapple. “It is my job to ensure that every victim is heard, protected, and restored at every stage of the post-conviction process.”

Past recipients of the Marsy’s Law Champion Award include U.S. Sen. John Lewis, U.S. Sen. Reverend Raphael Warnock, Rep. Lucy McBath, Cobb County District Attorney Flynn Broady, former Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, and Georgia’s First Lady Marty Kemp. Additional recipients will be announced throughout the year. To nominate a crime victims' advocate for consideration, please contact Frances Chang at fchang@c21pr.com.