Marsy's Law for South Dakota led the campaign in 2016 to pass Amendment S adding a Crime Victims' Bill of Rights to the South Dakota Constitution. The amendment passed overwhelmingly with a margin of 60% - 40%, giving crime victims in South Dakota meaningful and enforceable constitutional rights equal to the rights of the accused.
Marsy’s Law for South Dakota is a Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights that is named after Marsalee “Marsy” Ann Nicholas, a beautiful, vibrant college student who was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. Only a week after Marsy was murdered, her mother Marcella and her brother Henry walked into a grocery store after visiting Marsy’s grave and were confronted by the accused murderer. They had no idea that he had been released on bail. In an effort to honor his sister, Dr. Henry Nicholas, co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, has made it his mission to give victims and their families constitutional protections and equal rights. He formed Marsy’s Law for All in 2009, providing expertise and resources to victims’ rights organizations nationwide.