FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A D.C. Council Committee heard public testimony Wednesday on a bill that would boost reward amounts and give greater support to witnesses who give testimony that assists police in solving murder cases.
The Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act, first introduced in 2023 by Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau, D-Ward 1, was one of seven public safety bills on the agenda at Wednesday’s public hearing in the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. The Committee will hear from government witnesses on Thursday, including Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Lindsey Appiah.
“Information provided by witnesses is highly valuable to law enforcement and comes with great risk to those who provide it,” said Nadeau, who will speak to her legislation at the Thursday hearing. “People are afraid of retaliation and intimidation, which leaves most murder cases unsolved.”
MPD’s murder case closure rate was a stunning 45 percent in 2023 and about the same in 2024. By comparison, the national average is 50 to 60 percent. Nadeau notes that the District does not have a comprehensive and integrated plan for witness relocation and assistance, and the reward for providing tips to law enforcement in homicide cases is a maximum of $25,000, though MPD rarely awards that much.
Nadeau’s bill would help MPD solve more homicide cases by increasing rewards for witnesses and providing protection for those who help solve and prosecute cases.
While the rate of crime has declined significantly over the last year, witnesses continue to hesitate to step forward with information that would help protect their communities – in large part because they fear retaliation and do not have the resources and support they need to protect themselves. Homicides remain high in 2024 and 2025. Nadeau reintroduced her legislation earlier this year.
What the bill does
The legislation increases the minimum reward amount in homicide cases to $50,000, double the current maximum of $25,000, to anyone who provides information or testimony that leads to the adjudication or conviction of a person responsible for any homicide committed in the District.
The bill, for the first time, establishes a Witness Relocation and Assistance Program for witnesses in danger of retaliatory violence in connection with their cooperation to a criminal proceeding. The program provides witnesses with law enforcement protection, physical relocation of residence, housing expenses and utilities, basic living expenses, childcare, documents to establish a new identity, transportation, storage of personal possessions, support and advocacy to provide for a safe transition, and other services as needed.
Finally, the bill requires the Mayor to submit a report to the Council assessing the extent and effectiveness of the District’s programs and policies for witness protection and assistance. While there are already witness protection and support programs in the District – coordinated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office – there is no law that establishes the program or its goals and responsibilities. As a result, there is no way of knowing whether this critical public safety need is adequately resourced.
“Closing cases is critical to breaking the cycle of violence,” Nadeau said. “When perpetrators are not held accountable, it leads to a sense of impunity. By offering greater incentives, protection, and assistance to the people who are instrumental to closing more cases of violent crime, we can create safer communities and a safer D.C.”
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