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LOCAL
THURSDAY, APRIL 19 -25, 2018 • Page 10
Dana Sykes-Webster (left) and Carolyn Preston-Taylor (right), have a discussion at the
Victims Vistors’ Day event.
DeKalb County officials hosted a Victims Vistors’ Day at the Georgia Piedmont Technical
College Conference Center in Clarkston April 12.
Victims Visitors' Day event helps healing process
BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
The daughter of Carolyn Preston-
Taylor, a senior victim support partner
in Georgia, wasn't able to walk down
the aisle with her father during her
wedding. Her father was killed in a
robbery attempt in 1994.
Taylor, and many other victims
across Georgia, still hold on to the
memories of their loved ones.
In recognition of National Crime
Victims' Rights week, local crime
agencies and state leaders partnered
for the 2018 Victims Visitors' Day event
April 11.
The event partnered with the
DeKalb County District Attorney's
office to provide resources for victims,
including giving victims the ability to
discuss offender parole status with a
parole board member.
"For [more than] 20 years I've
fought the battle of keeping my
offender behind bars,"said Taylor.
"It was hard because there were no
programs at the time that my battle
started for anyone to sit down and talk
to me and tell me what to expect."
Taylor said through her grieving
process she learned on her own about
parole board policies and procedures.
She said she appreciates events such
as the Victims Visitors' Day for giving
victims a voice.
"When my daughter got married
and she walked down the aisle
without her father, I sent [parole board
members] pictures of that because
I wanted them to know how it felt,"
Taylor said. "Everyone has to be sure
their voice is heard. It matters what we
do, and they need to know someone
on the outside is fighting for our loved
ones."
The Victims Visitors' Day in DeKalb
was the 29th event since the Parole
Board began them in 2006. The Board
and the Georgia Office ofVictim
Services have met with more than
3,400 victims and family members
during that time, according to officials.
This year's two-day event was held
at the Georgia Piedmont Technical
College Conference Center in
Clarkston. The program is coordinated
by the Georgia Office ofVictim
Services along with the DeKalb DA's
Victim-Witness Assistance Program.
"Victim advocacy is a primary
focus for the DeKalb County District
Attorney's Office. We are committed
to serving crime victims and ensuring
we are responsively and proactively
meeting their needs," said DeKalb
County DA Sherry Boston. "It is
our pleasure to welcome the State
Board of Pardons and Paroles and the
Georgia Office ofVictim Services to
the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit for
Victims Visitors' Day, which fittingly so,
is being held during National Crime
Victims'Rights Week."
The program began under the
direction of Shalandra D. Robertson,
director of Georgia Office ofVictim
Services.
Robertson said she "loves to go to
work" every day because she knows
she's making a positive impact on the
community.
"We realized there were no real
programs for victims to voice their
concerns directly with the parole
board," Robertson said. "Victims want
to have a say in the process. This
program has grown since 2006. A lot
of times we hear from the victims that
this event is the first time someone
has taken the time to listen to their
stories."
During the victims'day event,
participants were also able to share
information about the case that they
want the parole board to consider
when determining possible parole for
the offender and to register as a crime
victim with the state if they had not
previously done so.
"When people talk about the
crimes it's like it just happened
yesterday," Robertson said. "This is
an opportunity for people to come
in and talk about how the crime has
impacted them and what they'd like
to see happen. I love my job. I really
do. I've always wanted to help people
and make a difference.This is the most
rewarding experience. You never know
the power in just listening to someone
and it can help them."
The opening ceremony of the
Victims Visitors' Day featured speeches
from Joan Gardenhire, whose
husband was the victim in the high-
profile case that became known as
the 'Craigslist murder,' and Tonica
Gleaton, whose son was fatally
wounded after being intentionally
struck with a vehicle driven by his
BY DEREK SMITH
derek@dekalbchamp.com
A Doraville teacher was found
dead April 11 after being reported
missing by his family.
Richard Weiner, 60, of Doraville
was last seen alive leaving Curry
Honda in Chamblee, according to
Doraville Police. Police put out a
call April 10 on social media for the
public's help in finding Weiner.
According to police, Weiner's
family said his disappearance was
"extremely unusual."
Doraville Police Captain Gene
Callaway told The Champion that
Doraville detectives found Weiner
dead in his 2009 Mazda 5 April 11 at
Gold Branch Park in Marietta. Callaway
said the vehicle was found parked and
no foul play was suspected.
The Facebook post from Doraville
police asking for help in finding
Weiner was shared more than 680
times and gathered 60 comments,
most from people sharing prayers and
hopes that Weiner would be found
safe.
girlfriend.
DeKalb County resident Levi
Simon Jr. said programs such as the
Victims Vistors' Day gives the "victims
their power."
Simon's son, Levi Simon III, was
shot and killed in 1998 while leaving a
friend's birthday party.
"This is empowerment. We're
empowered now. Before we were
moping in the dark,"Simon said.
"DeKalb needs something like this
because you have a tremendous
body count, so to speak. We're excited
because people can be awakened like
we were."
Weiner was a math teacher at the
Tapestry Public Charter School in
Doraville. According to his biography
on the school website, Weiner had 16
years of domestic and international
teaching experience mostly at
independent schools prior to joining
Tapestry.
Weiner taught for 10 years in Latin
America, at schools in Guatemala,
Venezuela and Brazil. He then
transitioned to a job in insurance in
Chile before moving with his wife
back to the United States in 1998.
Several comments on the
Facebook post from former
students and parents of former
students expressed disbelief in the
disappearance and hope that Weiner
would be found safe. A Facebook
page called "Richard Weiner -
Missing Person"was created to share
information in hopes of finding
Weiner. The page was created April 11,
hours before police announced that
his body had been found.
Weiner's cause of death has not
been released.
Doraville teacher found dead