A southern Illinois lawmaker is sponsoring legislation to add teeth to the state’s Freedom of Information Act, and change wrongful death laws in honor of Molly Young.
State Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) introduced “Molly’s Law” earlier this month in Springfield. The bill would increase penalties for government bodies that willfully and intentionally fail to comply with court orders.
Bryant says it also changes the statute of limitations language in Illinois’ wrongful death law - instead of starting the two-year window at the time of death, it would be two years from when evidence is discovered indicating an wrongful death may have occurred.
“If we have a situation again, where someone doesn’t get all of the information prior to that two years expiring, they’re going to still have the opportunity to look at the evidence and be able to take that forward in a decent amount of time.”
Molly Young died of a gunshot wound to the head in March 2012.
Larry Young believes his daughter was murdered, but Jackson County State's Attorney Mike Carr ruled there wasn't enough evidence to determine if the death was an accident, a suicide or a homicide.
Mr. Young says this new legislation will help other families fight for their loved ones.
“If a suspect has a right to remain silent, at the very least, shouldn’t a victim or a victim’s family be able to seek truth?”
Young has fought for years to gain access to records from his daughter’s death. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office issued a binding opinion earlier this month, ordering the Illinois State Police to release information.
“If I don’t do this for my own daughter, I will always regret it. And I am going to continue this fight, until there is justice served.”
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) joined Bryant in announcing Molly’s Law. He says he plans to join as a co-sponsor, and as a former prosecutor, hopes this bill can aid in the healing process for victims and their families.
“With Molly’s Law, we are going to seek truth. We are going to bring closure. We have to bring closure to families like the Youngs, who’ve endured the worst that any family should ever endure in society.”
Larry Young says he will turn photos and other records over to forensic experts in the hopes they will find evidence that his daughter was murdered.
