(Charleston-AP) July 28, 2004 - Governor Mark Sanford on Wednesday held a signing ceremony for a bill that makes it easier for victims of violent crime to give testimony at parole hearings.

The bill requires parole hearings be held the same day if there is more than one perpetrator convicted of a crime against the same victim. It also will allow victims to provide testimony over closed-circuit television.

Sanford officially signed the bill last month.

Joanna Katz says the new law would have eliminated some of the many trips she has made to Columbia to testify at separate hearings for five men who raped, beat and tortured her 16 years ago.

The men were convicted and sentenced to serve up to 35 years in prison. Katz' story was chronicled earlier this year in the documentary film "Sentencing the Victim."

posted 2:45pm by Chris Rees