JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Under House Bill 277, a crime would be reclassified if the person who committed the crime had already been convicted of domestic violence at the time of the offense.
A second-degree misdemeanor would become a 1st degree misdemeanor.
A first-degree misdemeanor would become a third-degree felony and so on.
“I think that’s a smart first move,” said Nick Leidy, brother of Rachael Kerr.
In January, Kerr was killed by her estranged husband, Loyd Alan Kerr, in a murder suicide situation at their Bradford County home.
In the months leading up to Rachael’s death, court records show deputies arrested Loyd several times for violating a domestic violence injunction. He was released on bond shortly before he killed Rachel.
“My sister had, you know, pages and pages of violations that Alan (Loyd) did. “If that was taken more seriously, and there was harsher punishments, then I don’t think he would have been out to complete the full devastation that he did.”
After the bill passed the House, Rachael’s mom, Marjorie Morton, spoke at the state capitol on Tuesday in support of the bill.
Action News Jax’s Madison Foglio spoke with her on the phone tonight. She said she hoped to be a voice for her daughter.
“She wasn’t there to speak, and I was,” said Morton. I’ll always be a voice for Rachael, always .”
Both Rachael’s mother and brother are hopeful that Governor DeSantis will sign the bill. The bill’s next stop is the Governor’s desk.
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