The life of VOCAL founder Miriam Shehane remembered in Montgomery

Montgomery Memorial for VOCAL Founder Miriam ShehaneMontgomery Memorial for VOCAL Founder Miriam Shehane On July 10, 2024, the Montgomery community gathered at the RSA Activity Center to honor the life and legacy of Miriam Shehane, founder of Victims of Crime and Leniency (VOCAL). Shehane’s tireless advocacy for victims’ rights reshaped Alabama’s judicial system. Following the tragic loss of her daughter, she established VOCAL and led a movement that pushed for reforms to support victims who were often overlooked in the criminal justice process. The memorial service was attended by hundreds of people, including VOCAL members, Crime Victims Compensation Commission officials, and law enforcement representatives. Shehane’s impact on Alabama’s victims’ rights landscape was evident in the many tributes and heartfelt speeches. “Her legacy needs to be carried on,” said Wanda Miller, VOCAL Executive Director. “It’s up to us to continue the work she started to give victims’ rights and make sure they are heard and seen.” Patrice Williams of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Victim Assistance Unit praised Shehane’s compassionate nature and unwavering dedication to helping victims. The memorial service served as a reminder of the profound impact that Miriam Shehane had on the lives of countless victims and their families. Her legacy will continue to inspire and guide the work of VOCAL and other organizations dedicated to ensuring justice and support for those affected by crime.

Posted: Jul 10, 2024 7:45 PM CDT

by
WAKA Action 8 News

People in Montgomery paused to remember the life of Miriam Shehane, who founded the group called Victims of Crime and Leniency, or VOCAL for short.

VOCAL and the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission hosted a memorial service for hundreds at the RSA Activity Center downtown to come out to pay tribute to Shehane and her impact on victims’ rights and services in Alabama.

Shehane founded VOCAL and for decades, led a victims’ rights movement that reshaped Alabama’s judicial and parole system.

She died June 17 at 91.

Shehane’s daughter, Birmingham college student Quinette Shehane, died after several men raped and murdered her a few days before Christmas in 1976.

Those crimes sparked Miriam’s push for Alabama lawmakers to support the families the court system often overlooked in those days.

“Her legacy needs to be carried on,” VOCAL Executive Director Wanda Miller said. “Her legacy needs to go on into the future, and it’s up to us to do that. I think the greatest way that we can honor her is to continue the work that she started back in the early 1980s to give victims’ rights and to make sure no one walks alone and to make sure that they are heard and seen.”

“I just want to let them know that she was a lady that had a big heart that cared a lot and did a lot for victims and she was just a caring person and that she just went over and beyond just to let everybody know that victims have rights,” Patrice Williams of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Victim Assistance Unit said.