Memorial marks anniversary of woman’s death
Family and Friends of the Tierne Ewing gather for a memory service in front of the Washington County Court House on the 1 year anniversary of her death. Pennsylvania State Senator Camera Bartolotta soeaks during the memorial service on Wednesday, August 30, 2017.
Family and Friends of the Tierne Ewing gather for a memory service in front of the Washington County Court House on the 1 year anniversary of her death. Annelle Kopko hold hands with Pennsylvania State Senator Camera Bartolotta during the memorial service on Wednesday, August 30, 2017.
Family and Friends of the Tierne Ewing gather for a memory service in front of the Washington County Court House on the 1 year anniversary of her death. Tascha Kopko overwhelmed with emotion during the memorial service on Wednesday, August 30, 2017.
Family and Friends of the Tierne Ewing gather for a memory service in front of theWashington County Court House on the 1 year anniversary of her death. Her parents Richard,left, and Annelle Kopko and sister Tascha Kopko hold hands during the memorial on Wednesday, August 30, 2017.
Family and Friends of the Tierne Ewing gather for a memory service in front of theWashington County Court House on the 1 year anniversary of her death. Annelle Kopko blows bubble during during the memorial service on Wednesday, August 30, 2017.
It has been one year since Tierne Ewing was abducted and killed in an old barn in West Finley Township by her estranged husband, following decades of physical and verbal abuse.
On Wednesday, family and friends of Ewing, many wearing “Tierne’s Law” t-shirts and clad in purple – the color that represents the movement to end domestic violence, gathered outside the Washington County Courthouse to remember her.
“Please, let’s put a stop to domestic violence,” said Ewing’s sister, Tascha Kopko, in tears. “Vote Tierne’s Law. I love you, Tierne.”
A few weeks prior to her death, Tierne Ewing’s estranged husband, Kevin Ewing, had been arrested for domestic violence and other offenses after holding her against her will and beating her over a 12-day period in June and July, but he was released July 11 after posting $100,000 bond set by District Judge Mark Wilson.
Tierne Ewing’s murder led state Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-46th District, to author Tierne’s Law, legislation designed to ensure judges have the tools they need to keep dangerous domestic violence offenders behind bars.
The Senate passed Tierne’s Law unanimously in July, and the legislation is awaiting action by the state House of Representatives.
Bartolotta spoke at the memorial event and discussed how Tierne’s Law could help protect victims of domestic violence by clarifying that judges can use risk assessment tools to determine whether an offender is likely to seek retribution against a victim.
“They can deny bail entirely if this risk assessment tool comes back and proves there is a danger of re-offending, abuse, or, God forbid, lethality,” said Bartolotta, who told those who attended the memorial service her sister was a victim of domestic abuse. “Tierne’s Law is a law that tells judges, ‘You can use this risk assessment tool to determine how likely this abuser is to get out and hurt someone.'”
The memorial event was organized by Suzanne Kelley, sister-in-law of Vincent “Mystro” Kelley, who was shot and killed while attempting to stop a bank robbery in 2013.
In addition to Bartolotta, speakers included Alexandra Brooks of Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern Pennsylvania; state Rep. Brandon P. Neuman, and L.B. Whitlock, founder of Legacy Church International in Washington.
A visibly emotional Neuman addressed Tierne Ewing’s parents, Richard and Annelle Kopko, and other family members while holding his nearly two-year-old daughter, Josie.
Neuman called on the community to come together so that someday “we don’t have to talk about ‘what-ifs’ anymore, we don’t have to talk about the sacrifice that individuals like Tierne made, because we as a society are going to reject violence.”
“We cannot allow this next generation to … we cannot fail them. We have to appreciate how these kids are watching us as adults,” said Neuman. “So, there’s nothing we could ever say that’s going to make this easy on Tierne’s family, but we can come together as a community, because this impacts our whole community. We can come together as adults, we can come together as men, and step up and let other men know that women like Josie will never be abused. We do remember the life of Tierne, and by God, I hope that we learn from the life of Tierne so that this next generation does not have to experience what your family is going through.”
In a motion filed four days after Ewing was released from jail, Assistant District Attorney Kristin Clingerman asserted the bond was “insufficient and an inappropriate amount for the gravity and severity” of the criminal matter and asked for an increase in the amount.
A hearing on the motion was held July 19 before Judge Gary Gilman.
The judge declined to change the bond amount, but added other conditions, including electronic home monitoring and GPS tracking and barring firearms from being in his possession or at his residence.
Kevin Ewing cut off the GPS tracking device on the day he killed Tierne Ewing.
Tierne Ewing first filed a petition for a PFA against her estranged husband in 2001.
At the close of the memorial event, Stephen Thomas, lead pastor of Legacy Church International, sang, and people who attended blew bubbles.
In 2016, Pennsylvania assisted more than 89,000 victims of domestic violence. Tierne Ewing was one of 102 domestic violence homicide victims last year.
“We’ve come a long way in the last 40 years or so in our efforts against domestic violence,” said Brooks, of Domestic Violence Services, “But I think we can all agree we still have a lot of work to do.”