#Sarasota Police Victim Advocate Honored by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody
Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC
SPD
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody honored Sarasota Police Victim Advocate Jude Castro, with the Attorney General’s Distinguished Victims Services Award in recognition of her efforts assisting crime victims in the City of Sarasota, specifically for her work associated with a homicide of a woman that happened in 1988. Ms. Castro is one of seven law enforcement professionals honored throughout the state of Florida. The virtual award ceremony was held on April 21, 2021.
“We are honored, proud, and excited for this honor for Jude and the Sarasota Police Department,” said Chief Jim Rieser. “I hired Jude and she has been an amazing person at our agency. This story is just one of many that Jude has been responsible for. She lives and breathes victim advocacy and we’re so proud of her,” said Chief Rieser.
In 2013, with advances in forensic testing, a break came in the 1988 case that led to a suspect. Ms. Castro found and contacted the sister of the victim. Over the next five years, as more evidence was gathered, Ms. Castro stayed in touch with the victim’s sister, notifying her of updates or just to touch base with no update. Ms. Castro built a strong rapport with the victim’s sister, which allowed the victim’s sister to feel connected to the case, the process, and the people involved. In 2018, David Stephens was charged with the murder of the victim, Judith Doherty.
The trial happened in January 2020. The victim’s sister came to Sarasota for the four-day trial. Ms. Castro drove the victim’s sister to and from the courthouse daily and accompanied her throughout the trial, providing support and assisting her in understanding the trial process. Together, Ms. Castro and the victim’s sister waited together as the jury deliberated and shared relief when a guilty verdict was delivered. At the time of the trial, the victim’s sister was the only surviving member of her family left to see justice for Judith.
Ms. Castro assisted the victim’s sister in drafting her Victim Impact Statement that she read to the court during the sentencing hearing via Zoom in October 2020. In the days before the sentencing hearing, Ms. Castro created multiple test Zoom meetings to make to avoid any technical difficulties on the day of the hearing. Ms. Castro continues to stay up to date on David Stephen’s appeal process to offer updates and information to the victim’s sister.
Video of the virtual award ceremony can be found on the Sarasota Police Department YouTube page at https://youtu.be/zZny8fHDRr4