There is a California billionaire who is spending millions in states across the country to get state legislatures to produce a constitutional amendment enumerating the rights of crime victims. Henry Nicholas is the funder of the "Marsy's Law for Idaho" campaign.

The Idaho Constitution, Article 1 Section 22 already enumerates the rights of victims of crimes, including the right to be heard, attend proceedings, access information for sentencing of the defendant, consulting with the prosecution, as well as many others.

The proposed amendment would expand these rights. However, the expansion could unconstitutionally impinge on the rights of defendants who are innocent until proven guilty. Rights of defendants include due process, a speedy trial, and the right to be informed of and to question evidence against them.

In the states where Nicholas' millions have convinced citizens to amend their constitutions using the language of Marsy's Law, there have been results such as longer time for trials, increased costs for courts and counties, longer waits in jail before trial for defendants, inability of lawyers to take depositions for their cases.

On Feb. 1, the Idaho Senate State Affairs Committee voted to introduce "Marsy's Law."

If victims' rights in Idaho are in need of enhancement, our legislature can do that without a constitutional amendment, and without following the dictates of this out-of-state billionaire.

Muriel R. Roberts,

Pocatello