Woman gets year's probation for slapping boyfriend who beat her badly.

[madfloridian]

There is absolutely nothing to say about this ridiculous event.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041006/NEWS/410060361/1004

This is news in brief, so it is just a snip. How ridiculous!

SNIP..."Published Wednesday, October 6, 2004
***

Woman Is Found Guilty of Slapping

A woman was found guilty of slapping her ex-boyfriend, who had allegedly beaten her before he was arrested.

But a judge decided Monday to give Cynthia Williams only a year's probation and no criminal conviction. The ex-boyfriend, Peter Lamb Reddy, also had a felony battery charge reinstated against him.

Williams admitted hitting Reddy in January while he was being arrested. She said he had hit her so hard that she suffered several fractures in her face."

JACKSONVILLE

[TOhioLiberal]

1. Geez...

What an asshole! She needs to get away from him.

[Kanary]

2. I hope you know that a very frequent time of when women are killed

is when they finally *LEAVE* their abusers.

I do hope you know that.

Kanary

[freeplessinseattle]

7. that's why confidential domestic violence shelters exist

I volunteered at one for a few years so know the reality very well, and have helped a number of survivors reestablish themselves under a different identity, which is not an option for everyone, and presents it's own challenges...sometimes leaving seems like more trouble and fear than it's worth, but the struggle for freedom from fear is ultimately worth it. no one deserves to have to put up with being abused, but when hope dies there is not much else left-it is up to us to offer hope, realistic hope, plan carefully, and show how worth it freedom is.

[alarimer]

9. So she's supposed to stay??

[Kanary]

11. If that's what you get from reading that, then it's pretty useless discuss

:crazy:

[alarimer]

12. well

You said that women are frequently killed when they finally leave in response to the first poster who said she should leave. Perhaps I am dense but I guess the alternative to leaving and being killed is to remain in the situation (I do not think that is a good alternative) Or killing the bastard which would be what he deserves.

[Kanary]

13. well...

Do some reading on the subject.

This is not something I intend to get into with a flame war.

There is much pain in the whole situation. It deserves a more evolved discussion.

Kanary

[madfloridian]

4. Well, if they give her a year of probation for a slap..

what does that say to her chances of fair treatment when seeking protection from him.

There are few laws that protect women from their abusers. A restraining order is only a piece of paper after all.

[gordianot]

3. Look at this scenario

Years ago there was a student whose mother was slapped around on a regular basis. She finally had enough came into school and asked that they not let the father take his daughter from school. The mother was in the process of getting a restraining order. A teacher told her to take the girl out of school, they would have no legal recourse if the father wanted the girl. The mother takes the girl to the court house to get the restraining order. On the way to town she is forced off the road by the father who was drunk. Guess who was not wearing a seatbelt and had his head split open? Guess who tried to defend herself and daughter? Guess who was arrested?

People always have regrets with hindsight.

[lady raven]

5. Not surprising

That's not at all surprising to me. I had something similar happen to me several years ago. I was on the receiving end of yet another rage from my now- ex- husband. He was *CLOBBERING ME* and threatening to kill me. I fought to get away, scratching him on the shoulder with one thumbnail and making him bleed.

The police were called and since he was the only one BLEEDING (despite the fact that my face was swollen), I was arrested for domestic abuse. The (Republican) DA pressed charges against me and NOT my husband. The charges at my arraignment read that I clawed at his throat in an attempt to choke him, an outrageous lie, and one that my HUSBAND hadn't even told!

In fact, my husband tried to get them to drop the charges (since he was so mean, I can't imagine why, but he tried HARD), and they labeled him as being browbeaten by ME. Keep in mind that I am 5'3" and 130 pounds and my ex is 6'3" and probably 220...

I got help from the local domestic violence ladies, who knew my situation and knew ME. The director was actually told by the DA that he was going to make an example of me to show the world that "you women aren't all sweet and innocent victims". He made a "deal" with her- I attend a batterers' group every week for TWO YEARS and the charges would be dropped. I sat in that group every week, with men I was afraid of, listening to their sick stories. And I was treated like a liar when I told mine. But I completed the program- I just could not imagine having a record- and when the 2 year mark came, they did NOT drop the charges as promised, they gave me probation. No court, no judge until AFTER the fact, and no agreement by me that I was guilty. Just the DA's word against mine. And it was to make some sort of twisted political statement. It's a sick world and there are some sick people out there.

[Robb]

8. This is exactly, EXACTLY

...what my friend is going through. Every part of it.

Her husband was the one bleeding, so she went to jail that night. SHE's got the restraining order against HER... can't even go to her house she still has to make payments on, even though HE's moved to Hawaii and isn't paying any of the bills. She's going to the domestic abuse meetings for two years while her sentence is "deferred". I can't imagine how bad it could have been, had this not been a small town where we/I know the local cops well... his sister has called the police on her every time she gets within a half mile of her house.

Ergh. What a frickin' world. Some people are just miserable.

Welcome to DU, joshuasmommy! :hi:

[Pepperbelly]

6. the perfect defense she had for slapping him ...

the son of a bitch had it coming.

Most juries would go for it in this case.

[H2O Man]

10. Domestic violence should always be taken seriously.

The news story was not very detailed, but assuming it was correct, the "boyfriend" should obviously spend a considerable amount of time incarcerated. The part about the slap & probation raises some serious questions, and it would be interesting to have more information to find the answers. I will say that from working for decades in "human services" with all types of domestic violence cases that have gone to court, there are many unjust decisions handed down.

Domestic violence is not limited to males against females. We need to broaden our perspectives in order to be able to deal with domestic violence as a society. There are husbands who assault wives; wives who beat husbands; "co-batterers"; violence in gay and lesbian couples; child neglect and abuse at the hands of mothers and fathers; and many more.

I did forensic work in my final years at the mental health clinic I was employed at. There is an unfortunate dark side to humanity, and all types of people are capable of ugly and disturbing violence against even those in their household. I saw things that I will never forget.