LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — Lansing lawmakers are pushing to eliminate fees charged to victims of abuse seeking to have personal protection orders served by law enforcement.
The legislation, introduced last week, was inspired by August reports from 7 News Detroit revealing how a Henry Ford healthcare worker was allegedly killed by her husband after a personal protection order against him was secured, but never served.
Watch Ross Jones' video report below:
Forty-three states prohibit the collection of fees for serving a personal protection order, according to the National Council of State Legislatures, but not Michigan.
RELATED: Paying a price: Michigan abuse survivors charged to have PPOs served by police
The family of Latricia Brown, who filed her PPOs under the name Latricia Green, say the new legislation would save lives.
“The reality is, she left this Earth afraid and crying for help,” said Deonda Easley, Latricia’s cousin and one-time guardian. “And for something as small as not having the financial means to pay for this monster to get served, now she’s not here.”
Two months before she died, Latricia asked a Wayne County judge for a PPO against her ex-husband Mario Green, telling the judge that he called her at her work, even “showed up to my job and tried to enter my office…to get to me.”
Related Story: Ex-husband, another man charged in deadly shooting at Henry Ford Hospital
The judge denied the PPO request, but just a month later, Latricia would seek another.
This time, she said Green was able to “break into my car and cut up my clothes (and) shoes,” that he followed her on multiple occasions and tried to break her car window.
“I feel like the system has now let me down,” she wrote,” I am asking for help before this goes too far.”
“Every time I read it, I hear her voice,” Easley said in an interview last week.
After Latricia’s mother died when she was 13, Easley helped raise her and became her legal guardian.
“I went to every parent-teacher conference. She was amazing, she was absolutely amazing and did not deserve what happened to her,” she said.
Her July PPO would ultimately be approved by a judge, but it would end there. Because Latricia never paid to have it served, her alleged killer would never see it.
“The judge said she needed protection. That should be enough,” said Deantjuan Jones, a cousin of Latricia.
“You shouldn’t have to pay for peace of mind.”
As 7 News Detroit first reported in August, even if a judge approves your order for protection in Michigan, the person you’re afraid of will never learn about it from police if you don’t dig into your own pocket.
The cost for law enforcement to serve a PPO varies based on how far officers have to drive, but can easily cost more than $100.
“$150 sounds like change, but when you’re dealing with someone that’s in a domestic violence situation, that means that these people are often times trying to find…housing, that money is probably going towards trying to put down deposits and move,” said Dia Easley, Latricia’s cousin.
In response to our reporting, State Senator Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) began drafting legislation that would shift the cost of PPOs away from victims.
“This issue is just so clear cut of a thing that could be fixed,” Chang said in an interview Friday.
Senate Bill 611—introduced just last week—would use $1 million already set aside in next year’s budget to reimburse law enforcement agencies for serving PPOs on behalf of victims like Latricia.
“This needs to be a priority when we’re talking about public safety and protecting those who are in fear for their lives,” Chang said.
The legislation is bipartisan. Chang, a Democrat, is joined in sponsoring the bill by Sen. Ruth Johnson, a Republican from Holly.
“For someone that’s struggling to get out of an abusive relationship, this is just another hurdle,” Johnson said.
“We’re way behind. 43 other states are already doing this, Michigan needs to do it too.”
Next week, lawmakers will get their first chance to advance the bill when it goes before a senate committee. Latricia’s family will be there, they said, carrying her memory and message.
In life, her pleas for protection went unheard. Perhaps in death, she’ll be harder to ignore.
“She lost her life and lost her voice. But this law would not only give her her voice, but it can save so many other women’s lives,” Deonda Easley said.
“So many people don’t have to go through what Latricia went through.”
Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.