Justice Denied
How many times have you watched your local evening news and heard a story about a crazed ex husband or jilted ex boyfriend attacking or even worse, killing the object of their obsession? Probably more times than you care to recall and I feel the same way, situations like that are completely preventable but seem to happen far too often in our society because our legal system seems to be overly interested in having a high conviction rate rather than protected the people they were sworn to serve.
What has brought on this little rant? Two weeks ago my sister in law was beaten by her soon to be ex husband and today, the so-called prosecutor cut him a deal and let him walk right out of the courthouse, without once taking into consideration this man has stalked, badgered, and threatened my sister in law on more than once occasion. He has been arrested two previous times for domestic violence against my sister in law and this time he also forced his way into her home before he hit her and threw her down the stairs, in front of their children. This wannabe prosecutor; who was on vacation until the other day, picked up the case and decided to plea bargain with a man who is obviously disturbed and let him out of jail. Apparently this woman, yes....woman, has forgotten about a case we had about 13 years ago in which a disturbed man went onto our local University campus and gunned down his estranged wife, killing her. I pray now this does not happen to my sister in law.
It seems to me that our society has forgotten about defending those who cannot defend themselves and instead have taken the route that better serves their own personal agendas. As a tax payer and a registered voter, I would prefer that our elected officials do their jobs and stop worrying over their conviction rates and worry more about the people these criminals affect. My sister in law is afraid to be in her own home and she fears for her safety and the safety of her children, shouldn't that be more important with a conviction on the books?
I personally feel that domestic violence is the dirty little secret no one wishes to deal with, if it happens in someone else's home than it doesn't involve us but guess what, domestic violence is a stain that contaminates us all on some level; somehow, someway, we are all touched by this cycle of violence. Perhaps you were raised in a home where your mother was beaten on a regular basis, or you yourself were verbally abused by a parent. Maybe this violence did not touch you until you were older and you married a verbally or physically abusive person....maybe one of your children will grow up and marry a person like this. Perhaps your child is being bullied by someone at school who lives in a household where bullying and intimidation are taught, because our children learn best through example and children learn what they see. Even though it may not be happening in your own home, domestic violence affects us all.
End the cycle.
What has brought on this little rant? Two weeks ago my sister in law was beaten by her soon to be ex husband and today, the so-called prosecutor cut him a deal and let him walk right out of the courthouse, without once taking into consideration this man has stalked, badgered, and threatened my sister in law on more than once occasion. He has been arrested two previous times for domestic violence against my sister in law and this time he also forced his way into her home before he hit her and threw her down the stairs, in front of their children. This wannabe prosecutor; who was on vacation until the other day, picked up the case and decided to plea bargain with a man who is obviously disturbed and let him out of jail. Apparently this woman, yes....woman, has forgotten about a case we had about 13 years ago in which a disturbed man went onto our local University campus and gunned down his estranged wife, killing her. I pray now this does not happen to my sister in law.
It seems to me that our society has forgotten about defending those who cannot defend themselves and instead have taken the route that better serves their own personal agendas. As a tax payer and a registered voter, I would prefer that our elected officials do their jobs and stop worrying over their conviction rates and worry more about the people these criminals affect. My sister in law is afraid to be in her own home and she fears for her safety and the safety of her children, shouldn't that be more important with a conviction on the books?
I personally feel that domestic violence is the dirty little secret no one wishes to deal with, if it happens in someone else's home than it doesn't involve us but guess what, domestic violence is a stain that contaminates us all on some level; somehow, someway, we are all touched by this cycle of violence. Perhaps you were raised in a home where your mother was beaten on a regular basis, or you yourself were verbally abused by a parent. Maybe this violence did not touch you until you were older and you married a verbally or physically abusive person....maybe one of your children will grow up and marry a person like this. Perhaps your child is being bullied by someone at school who lives in a household where bullying and intimidation are taught, because our children learn best through example and children learn what they see. Even though it may not be happening in your own home, domestic violence affects us all.
End the cycle.