STAY SOMEWHERE SAFE 

Given how devastated and vulnerable you will be feeling, try to be with people who are caring. 

• If the suspect is still at large, consider staying with people who offer safe shelter. 

• If the crime happened where you live, you will need to stay somewhere else. 

A safety assessment will be made by law enforcement to ensure your safety and that of witnesses.

Also be sure to secure the crime scene, if necessary. The NOPD can advise you on how to do this. 

IMMEDIATE CRIME VICTIM/SURVIVOR NEEDS 

If you are a crime victim/survivor with medical needs, the emergency medical personnel will have taken you to a hospital for treatment. 

• If you are in need of medical attention and not taken by ambulance, University Medical Center (UMC) in New Orleans offers forensic medical examinations. 

After a crime is reported, the NOPD Victim Witness Assistance unit should contact you – they are familiar with the various needs you will face, so let them help you. They can help with relevant referrals.

For sexual assault and rape cases, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner [SANE] will gently guide you through an exam, although this is voluntary. Social workers are available any time afterwards. 

• For domestic violence cases, after treatment, a counselor and specially trained NOPD detectives will talk to you when you are able. See the Resources for organizations who specialize in such assistance, such as the NOFJC and STAR. [See Resources] 

IDENTIFYING THE BODY/ AUTOPSY & CORONER 

District NOPD investigators will often handle initial scenes, but detectives go to all homicide and suicide cases, as well as any unclassified deaths (where there is nothing obvious to explain the cause). 

When it is clear a crime has caused the death, the body cannot be moved from where it is found without permission from the Coroner. Typically, detectives do not touch a body at the crime scene, but will attend the victim’s autopsy at the Coroner’s office. Police and Coroners will be inspecting the body for clues that might be critical. 

An autopsy is required by law for all these kinds of cases, and will be conducted to determine what internal and external injuries caused death. Wounds and injuries may be photographed and marked on a diagram. These will be used in a trial. 

• The Coroner makes the final determination of the cause of death, which will be used for any court issues. 

• The body will be picked up from the Coroner’s office by your funeral home, or taken to the morgue. 

• The Coroner’s office provides a photo for identification of the deceased so the actual body is not viewed – and for this, try to have a support person with you. 

EMERGENCY AWARD 

You may be eligible for an emergency award from the state of up to $1000, if you qualify for the required guidelines. The money should be distributed quickly. 

• The LCLE (Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement) manages the state's Crime Victims Reparations Program, which can reimburse a number of expenses due to violent crime (now including relocation).

• Forms need to be filled in on a timely basis, and are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Forms are available from your Sheriff’s office, or from NOPD and DA Victim Witness Advocates, all of whom can help you complete them. Visit our guide to CVR for more information.

GET A SUPPORT SYSTEM GOING 

You will likely not feel up to doing much, so let friends help. Make a list of people to contact with the news. Ask others to make some calls, or get a round robin of calls going with a group. 

Try to speak calmly and slowly, telling the people who most need to know the news, and use simple terms. Tell them to sit down. Give as many details as you think are appropriate for each person. Ask if they can get a friend to be there for them too. 

To share important information with friends and family, you (or a trusted friend) can send group texts, group emails, or create a private group on Facebook, but take care not to release sensitive information.

If you need to meet with anyone official (detectives, Coroners, etc.), ask a friend to go along. Ask them to take notes of anything important that is said, and transfer or cut and paste the notes into a notebook. Or keep notes in your smartphone, if you have one. 

Ask someone you can trust to act as a medical advocate (in the event of physical injuries), to assist in making medical decisions and with any health insurance issues, such as obtaining pre-approvals, especially if there are multiple serious injuries, or seeing if a case manager can be assigned with your insurance company (if applicable).

If friends ask what they can do, these are some other areas where they could help: 

• Child care

• Meals 

• Yard work and cleaning at home 

• Referrals for doctors, therapists, funeral homes, etc. 

• Driving (driving is unsafe when in shock or on medication) 

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS 

If needed, ask friends to help you find a suitable funeral home. There’s a lot of price gouging in this industry, with unscrupulous and greedy people taking advantage of you during heightened stress. It is shocking how expensive they are. Ask someone responsible to check into what is offered, and then decide what you feel is important. 

• Funeral homes are required to give you all the costs involved. The only costs that are not negotiable are their administrative costs. 

• Take at look at the website of the Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors (www.lsbefd.state.la.us), which discusses consumer rights, and which notes: “In most states, you don’t have to use a funeral home to conduct a funeral. It may be done by a religious or other organization, or by the family. You may want to consider a “green burial” without embalming, a metal casket or grave liner.” 

Funeral parlors rarely allow payment plans. Due to the high costs of funerals, it is common for 2 or 3-week delays between the death and funeral. An option can be to have the body embalmed and dressed for an open-casket funeral, and then to cremate the body rather than bury it (burial is more expensive). 

It is possible that the violence done to the body will mean it cannot be viewed. So another option is to have the body cremated, and the ashes stored at a mausoleum. Or some people like to scatter the ashes at a place where they know their loved one enjoyed spending time, or to keep them at their home. 

The stress of raising money for a funeral sometimes fuels the desire for revenge among those close to the victim. If you fear this could happen, speak to a pastor or community leader, or even your detective. [See Resources for other violence reduction groups] 

You might want to consider the donation of your loved one’s organs. If applicable, check his or her driver’s license to see if s/he wanted to do this. 

You will also need to provide general information for an obituary. If you want monetary donations made to a charity or organization, be sure to state this in the obituary. One woman asked people to help contribute to restoring a playground her son played in. 

A memorial service may be held if the body is not present, for whatever reason. 

I will never forget how disturbing and surreal it was to see my husband’s body lying in a coffin. I was grateful to have two close friends with me. 

I made a special request since there was a song my husband had once casually mentioned he wanted played at his funeral, and this was done at the burial site. I also asked to take a lock of my husband’s hair. 

I also bought several plain boards and attached photographs of my husband and mother-in-law; many people brought their own pictures along, which I appreciated getting. - Rose

CRIME SCENE CLEANUP 

Do not let well-intentioned friends or neighbors do any necessary cleanup, due to the risk of contamination and infection. Instead, get a professional organization to do this work. My experience was that these were compassionate people (from a company called Clean Scene—look in the Yellow Pages for other companies too) who worked quickly and efficiently, and were not trying to rip us off. 

• Also note that Crime Victims Reparations is now providing some funds for this service. 

KEEP NOTES 

Even though I thought I’d never forget what was discussed in important calls, of course I did. - Rose

Consider getting a notebook and leave some pages blank (maybe at the back of the book) so you can write the names and numbers of people you will be in touch with: detectives, insurance claim people, estate lawyers, etc. Or – you can keep notes on your phone if it has the capability. Or – keep notes at the end of this book. 

Keep chronological notes. Every time you talk to the police, detectives, District Attorney, or anyone officially connected to the investigation, write the date and the basics of what was said. 

You might write out questions in advance and then say: “Let me check that I’ve covered all the questions I wrote out for you.” At the end of the conversation, summarize to the person what was said so you’re both clear on each point. 

After you’ve finished the call, flesh out your notes so they’re clear. If there are any later disputes about what was said or agreed to, having these notes will be invaluable. 

• Know that if you are a witness and you refer to your notebook, it can be subpoenaed for trial. 

Also keep a record with receipts and bills for any financial expenses. This may be used if the accused is ordered to pay restitution, and also to give to the Crime Victims Reparations Board.

TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK 

If you are working, call or have your support person phone your workplace. Most employers are very sympathetic and will give you leave time.

If employers need to check the facts, give them the name of your detective. Or show them your item card or brochure that the police will provide. The card notes the incident involved, the date, time, item number, and officer’s name. Or you may have a newspaper article or obituary to show them. 

KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO 

If anyone attempts to contact you to discuss the crime, first ask for the identification of the person, and ask for whom s/he works or represents. Write down their names and who they work for. 

• If someone approaches you in person, make sure you look at the badge carefully and identify which agency is involved. If it is not an officer, ask to see some identification. 

• If you feel uneasy or unsure about talking to someone, tell him/ her you will call back. Then give this information to your detective and/or NOPD Victim Witness Advocate (or ADA if a warrant has been issued, or arrest made, or indictment obtained). 

• Remember that defense teams have their own investigators, so always ask for proof of whom you are talking to. Do not talk to defense investigators unless your ADA tells you it is okay. 

• Confusion can occur if a person says they are with the DA, as it could mean either District Attorney or Defense Attorney – so ask first. 

RELATING TO THE MEDIA 

When a story is new and “hot,” the media (newspaper and TV journalists) can be interfering and pushy as they follow the story. 

• Remember: You are not required to talk to any of them. 

• Remember also: You will have little control over what is actually reported or how it is presented to the public. You could even be presented as a “bad person.” 

If your case is ongoing and you decide, or are pressured, to talk to the media, first consult with the detective and/or ADA beforehand, or Victim Witness Advocate. Tell them about what you intend to say so that you do not let slip some information that could jeopardize the case. Consult with them also if you intend to show a photograph or video. 

Discussing your thoughts with some levelheaded friends may help keep your communications clear and accurate. Plus, it can help you avoid saying things while you are in an emotional state that may be harmful to the investigation or to the case if it goes to trial. 

Try not to make angry statements to the media—you can curse later. Angry outbursts may make the public less sympathetic to your case. 

Other ways to handle this (once you have preferably first consulted with your detective and/or ADA, if applicable) include: 

• Have your support person, or some chosen representative, talk to the media on your behalf 

• Release a written statement 

• Or, if you’ve noticed a media reporter whose work you admire, you might approach that reporter to work with them. You can ask any reporter to review questions before you speak. 

Initially, I did not speak to the media despite repeated requests, but a year later, when the killer died, I did make a brief statement. It may sound strange, but I felt cheated by the killer’s death in that he avoided trial – and was infuriated that the killer’s family claimed that his was a “wrongful death.” 

I wrote out what I wanted to say, as I knew my emotions could easily overtake me and I might forget the main points I wanted to cover – and asked some friends to proofread it. I then called and shared the comments with the detective and ADA for their approval. I had friends stand with me while I gave the interview. - Rose

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA 

The explosion of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc., has become a significant – but frequently unreliable – way to share news. 

• Since most social media posts are public, information can be seen by anyone – police, prosecutors, the defense, journalists, and suspects – keep in mind that certain statements could complicate the police investigation, or might later hurt the prosecution’s case, or help the defense’s case, at trial.

It is likely that your deceased loved one’s social media account(s) will be reviewed (if they had one) by the detective for possible evidence in various communications. Investigators may request that the account remain open to see additional posts. 

If your deceased loved one’s account is still active and you choose to keep it that way, don’t put up updates on the case if it is significant or sensitive information – again, anyone can read it. It is important that you or a trusted friend(s) constantly monitor your loved one’s social media account to be sure that nobody else is posting sensitive, harmful or private information. 

• Remember that hurtful, inaccurate or misleading information is publicly circulated. Unfortunately first impressions from things posted online create a lasting effect, whether they are true or not. 

• Ask that people do not leave inflammatory comments and accusatory language (like naming possible suspects, or saying, “I’m going to get the person who did this”). Suggest that people be positive and use respectful language in their messages. 

Another way to handle this is to create a new contact account, such as “In Memory of (Loved One’s Name),” and make it a closed, private group that is accessible to friends only. You would need to notify friends of this new group, and invite them to join. 

CRIMESTOPPERS 

If someone possibly knows the identity and/or whereabouts of a person who committed a crime but is scared to involve police, they can call this group at (504) 822-1111. Crimestoppers provides an ID number to the tipster for follow-up communication. Should an arrest and indictment occur based on the tip, a reward of up to $2,500 is given in cash. 

Crimestoppers is separate from the police. Being anonymous, they do not ask for names of those providing information. They follow international guidelines and have proven track records: there are no cases of retaliation and won’t be as long as the tipster doesn’t tell others. 

• Donations can be added to the reward amount to increase case exposure (called Supplemental Rewards). If no arrest is made within a particular timeframe, the additional reward donation will be returned with a small administrative fee removed.