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Officials hope law will help enforcement

By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer
reporter@arkcity.net

Brian and Cindy Sanderholm turned their grief over the death of their 19-year-old daughter Jodi into positive action by lobbying state officials for a stronger anti-stalking law.

They worked for over a year to get the State Legislature to pass a bill known as Jodi's Law that would provide law enforcement better tools to catch and prosecute stalkers.

Within a month after Cowley College freshman Jodi Sanderholm's body was found, on Jan. 9, 2007, the Sanderholm family was meeting with local law enforcement officials and legislators to get the law passed, family members said.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius recognized their successful efforts Wednesday afternoon by coming to Arkansas City for a ceremonial signing of Jodi's Law. The ceremony took place at Cowley College's Brown Center.

After Sebelius completed the ceremonial signing -- Jodi's Law actually became effective July 1 -- she hugged a tearful Cindy Sanderholm, who sat next to her at the table.

"Too often when tragedy occurs, folks give up hope," Sebelius told the audience including Sanderholm family members, friends and local officials. "Fortunately, you see here a tragic situation become a hopeful situation for young women across the state."

Sanderholm family members at the ceremony included Jodi's parents, Jodi's sister Jennifer, brother Jason, and 18-month-old niece Emma Jolea. Counting Sanderholm in-laws and extended family, there were about a dozen family members.

Jodi Sanderholm disappeared Jan. 5, 2007 after attending a danceline practice. Her body was found four days later.

Referring to where the body was discovered, Sebelius told the audience she would work with Oklahoma authorities to get a portion of the Kaw Wildlife Area dedicated to the memory of Jodi Sanderholm.

Jodi's body was found in that area in the southeastern corner of Cowley County, near the Oklahoma border.

A 25-year-old man, Justin Thurber, is accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering the victim. His trial is scheduled to start in October.

"This is the worst case among scenarios when women become victims of violence -- when the victim dies," Sebelius said after the ceremony. "It's important to give law enforcement tools that weren't there before for rapid response to help these women."

Because of the Sanderholm family's lobbying efforts, a stronger anti-stalking bill was introduced and "it became a priority for the Legislature," Sebelius said.

The passing of Jodi's Law was the result of a bipartisan effort, she said, before introducing three state legislators representing Cowley County who were present at the ceremony: Rep. Kasha Kelley, R-Arkansas City, who introduced the bill; Rep. Ed Trimmer, D-Winfield, and Sen. Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield, who helped get the bill passed.

Goodwin welcomed the audience and introduced Brian and Cindy Sanderholm before the governor spoke.

"It's just great we were able to do this," Brian Sanderholm said. "We worked real hard and at first it seemed to take forever. I was really impressed that Democrats and Republicans worked together."

Sanderholm thanked Sebelius for signing the bill. "It's really made something good out of something bad," he said

"Thank you, you are truly people who have touched the hearts not only of the legislature but of the entire state," Goodwin said.

Before the ceremony, Kelley commented on her work to introduce Jodi's Law and see it through the legislative process. She started working with law enforcement personnel including Arkansas City Police Chief Sean Wallace to start crafting a new bill.

"I looked at the old law and didn't know what the hindrances were," she said.

One of the problems with the previous law centered on the wording "credible threat," referring to a stalker's to a victim, said Wallace who also attended the ceremony.

"I spent lots of hours with Kasha on the wording, on things that hung us up," Wallace said. "We wanted to make this a stronger law, a less vague law."

The new law takes out the words "credible threat" and defines stalking as a "course of conduct" that would leave a reasonable person in fear.

The course of conduct could consist in leaving someone an item that would seem threatening to the victim, when coming from a stalker, he said. Such an item could be a rose, a card, a tape recording or pictures.

Kelley said she also met with prosecutors and victims of domestic violence when she started working on the law.

"I am thrilled for the Sanderholm family," Kelley said.

Above: Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, seated at right, embraces Cindy Sanderholm at a ceremonial signing of Jodi's Law, a strengthened anti-stalking law that became effective recently at Cowley College's Brown Center in Ark City. Cindy is the mother of Jodi Sanderholm, who was killed in January 2007. Also pictured from left, are state Sen. Greta Goodwin, Jodi's brother Jason, her father Brian, sister Jennifer Mayfield, and state Rep. Kasha Kelley who sponsored the law.