Overview
- The ceremony at Jefferson Square Park featured a tolling bell, empty chairs and flowers to symbolize lives lost to domestic violence.
- Twelve names of people killed in Jefferson County since October 2024 were read aloud, and Center for Women and Families CEO Elizabeth Martin said physical violence often follows prolonged abuse.
- County Attorney Mike O’Connell said his office handles more than 3,700 domestic‑violence cases each year in Jefferson County, averaging more than ten cases daily.
- The Center for Women and Families, which organized the event, offers 24/7 free and confidential support through its toll‑free crisis line at 1-844-BE-SAFE-1.
- Coverage noted one ongoing case tied to a person memorialized, with Lanesha Blakey charged with murder and assault in the shooting of Bryant Johnson earlier this year.