By Robert J. Hansen
Woodland, CA – On Tuesday, and first anniversary, Yolo County’s Commons Town Hall meeting had guest Sarah Rice, a crime survivor whose grandmother Claudia Maupin and her husband Chip Northup were murdered while in bed in their Davis home in 2013.
Wednesday marked the ninth anniversary of Claudia and Chip’s murder by 16-year-old Daniel Marsh.
She was joined by Victims Service Manager Laura Valdes and Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven to discuss.
Rice has become an advocate for crime victims, becoming the liaison for her family who all were impacted by Claudia and Chip’s deaths.
“I found my passion that my Granza always saw in me, unfortunately through her passing,” Rice said.
Rice was driving when she received a call about a burglary that had gone wrong and there were two bodies.
“I don’t know much about the rest of my day. I have little snippets of memory,” Rice said. “I don’t even know where I left my car to this day.”
Rice said at the time there was no certainty and to this day doesn’t feel any closure over her grandmother’s murder.
“It’s such an empty feeling especially when you don’t know anything,” Rice said.
Rice said she was learning the details of Claudia and Chip’s murder during the trial.
“When I sat in the preliminary hearing and heard my Grandpa was stabbed 67 times,” Rice said, “that knocked me out.”
Rice said what Valdez and Team Yolo do to help victims is extraordinary.
Valdez said that each victim is assigned a victim advocate who provides support and helps them understand their rights.
“We accompany the victim or the victim’s family through the criminal justice system by making sure they understand everything that is happening,” Valdez said. “All we can do is be there for support and that’s what we do.”
Chief Deputy DA Raven said victim advocates are critical.
“When someone is a victim of a crime, their world is often turned upside down,” Raven said. “Our channel to the victims are our victims’ advocates like Laura.”
Rice is incredibly grateful for Laura and Jonathan.
Raven showed the number of offenses by type from September 2020 through September 2021.
Violent offenses were the most common offense in every month except December 2020 for that entire year. In September 2021 there were 189 violent offenses while the next most common offense was property crime with 81 offenses according to Commons data.
Valdez said the most common offense she sees is domestic violence.
In Yolo County, two-thirds of all violent offenses are committed by residents and the other third are out-of-county residents according to the data.
Raven said there are some disparities among this data, as two-thirds of violent crimes committed by Black people are out-of-county residents and the other third are in-county.
African Americans make up about three percent of the population in Yolo County.
“I’m not really sure why that is but these are interesting data points that we can use to solve issues,” Raven said.
Commons data is not updated for victims but Raven said talks about including victims’ data are happening.
Valdez said revictimization is rarely considered and that many laws are being created in California that do not consider how they will be affecting the victims’ families according to Valdez.
“Every time that a survivor is asked to retell their story or come back to court because of a new law, we are re-victimizing,” Valdez said.
Rice said she experienced re-victimization in 2018 from Proposition 57
“You don’t really know what that word is until you get that call,” Rice said.
Rice helped create the “Scrap SB 1391” project which was created to “help fight” Proposition 57 from passing.
SB 1391 or Proposition 57, passed in November 2016, intended to bring about a series of criminal justice reforms addressing the prosecution of juvenile defendants.
It prohibited prosecutors from seeking the transfers of 14- and 15-year-olds to criminal court unless “a juvenile court judge conducts a transfer hearing to consider various factors such as the minor’s maturity, degree of criminal sophistication, prior delinquent history, and whether the minor can be rehabilitated.”
“When you’re a victim of a crime there is no real closure that you get, Rice said.
Rice suggested that lawmakers speak to advocates before laws are created.
“I think it’s vitality important not to make blanket laws because every case is different,” Rice said.
Hmmmmm, that’s the first time I’ve read that little tidbit on the Vanguard.
But you’ve seen it somewhere else?
No, but I wonder why with all the articles you have written on this subject this is the first time that info has been brought forward. It’s not like that hasn’t been asked when the black ratios of incarcerated blacks in Yolo County are discussed.
Probably because it is the first time they put a percentage on that claim.