There was a murder trial here all last week involving a woman that had been severely abused by a man that she eventually shot to death. The very district attorney trying to convict this woman of first degree murder was not pleased as time after time, evidence and testimony pointed to the neglect of her office as well as law enforcement to help this woman when she was afraid for her life.
He was extremely lethal...putting her in the hospital at least once and threatening to kill not only her, but her family and anyone else that might help her.
He beat her with a sledge hammer.
We waited anxiously Friday for the verdict. Around 6:00 pm, the advocate that I had watching the trial came in grinning from ear to ear and announcing the "not guilty" verdict. It was a celebration for us. One more small chunk knocked out of that "good ole boy" system that puts so many women at risk.
She has suffered enough. She knew it was him or her. He would have killed her eventually. She knew the system was going to keep letting her down. That's the real tragedy.
She had to protect herself or die. Well, she did....and he can't hurt her any more.
I've seen too many black eyes, bruises and broken bones. I'm getting angrier by the day........and more determined to do what it takes to keep knocking as many chunks out of domestic abuse til it falls down completely. And there are lot more where I come from....and we're getting stronger by the day.
This has to stop!!!!
Pup
p.s. Ice and I are taking a much needed mini vacation, so we'll catch you all again in a couple of days. Best of wishes to Belle! Get well soon! Also, to Bella and her daughter.
Enjoy your mini vacation and tell Iceman I said Hello.
Bear HUgs!
PolarB ;)
Not Guilty was the only verdict that made any sense!
Hugggggggggggggggggggz,
Taylor
Pup
Pup
love you
ice
p.s. looking fwd to a few days removed from the (rat) maze
This post reminded me of the book and movie called "The Burning Bed."
The Burning Bed is a non-fiction book by Faith McNulty about a battered Dansville, Michigan, housewife, Francine Hughes. After thirteen years of domestic abuse, she set her husband aflame while he slept on March 9, 1977. The location of the house that was burned down is still visible in Dansville to this day.
Hughes told her children to put on their coats and wait in the car. She then started a fire with gasoline poured around her sleeping husband's bed. The house burst into flames as she and the children drove to the local police station to confess.
After trial in Lansing, Hughes was found not guilty by reason of insanity by a jury of her peers.
The book by Faith McMulty was made into a TV movie starring Farrah Fawcett and directed by Robert Greenwald, which aired on the NBC network in 1984. Lyn Hardy, a folk singer, wrote a song, entitled The Ballad of Francine Hughes about the same event, it subsequently went platinum. (Source: Wikipedia)