Suffolk Reporter

Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R,C-Medford) attended a press conference in Albany yesterday to support his colleagues’ introduction of Melanie’s Law, allowing courts to issue orders of protection for immediate family members or household members of victims of domestic violence, regardless of age. The press conference was led by Assemblyman Brian A. Cunningham, Sen. Michelle Hinchey, Sen. Rob Rolison, Assemblyman Anil Beephan, and Cheryl Chianese, Melanie’s mother, who joined together to call for the law’s immediate passage.

Melanie Chianese’s life was tragically taken by her mother’s ex-boyfriend while he was under supervised release pending sentencing after pleading guilty to a domestic violence felony. The legislation, known as Melanie’s Law, was introduced to close a loophole in anti-domestic violence legislation. It aims to include persons related "by consanguinity or affinity to parties who are or have been in, on the order of protection."