Alyssa Broderick’s murder is a horrific example of a long-standing problem that hardly ever makes headlines: America’s criminal justice system too often fails to protect victims of domestic and family violence from their abusers.
It was her worst fear – her stepfather was out of jail and she knew she wasn’t safe.
Then 16, Alyssa Broderick told a court that Stephen Broderick, a former detective, had sexually assaulted her, and she pleaded with a judge to keep him away from her and her family. Broderick was out on bond while facing felony charges in the case, which would grow to include allegations of strangulation and years of abuse.
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