Cash-Strapped Topeka May Stop Prosecuting Domestic Violence
- Posted on October 12, 2011 at 6:18am by
Tiffany Gabbay
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Can you imagine a district attorney’s office deciding not to prosecute domestic violence cases for the sole reason that the city is allegedly cash-poor? Well, that is the case in Topeka, Kansas, a city that has decided to stop prosecuting domestic violence casses in order to lessen the financial burden of the cash-strapped city.
NBC reports
The City Council announced the proposal Oct. 4, after the Shawnee County District Attorney’s office announced it could no longer prosecute misdemeanors, including domestic violence cases. The city’s maneuver may even require repealing the part of the city code that bans domestic battery. Mayor Bill Bunten told the Topeka Capital-Journal city officials take domestic violence seriously, and it would be “dead wrong” to assume offenders won’t be prosecuted. But the dispute is over who would pay for it, he said.
Shawnee County has already dropped 30 domestic violence cases since it stopped prosecuting the crime on Sept. 8. Some 16 people have been arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery charges and then released after charges were not filed.
County District Attorney Chad Taylor has reportedly offered to review all misdemeanor cases filed in Topeka for potential prosecution, including those now handled by the city’s municipal court, in exchange for a one-time payment of $350,000 from the city.
“When an abusive partner is arrested, the victim’s danger level increases,” Becky Dickinson, interim director of the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment, reportedly told the Capital-Journal. “The abuser will often become more violent in an attempt to regain control. Letting abusive partners out of jail with no consequences puts victims in incredibly dangerous positions.”
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BeenToLakeCounty
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 4:21pmThey are going to stop prosecuting misdemeanor domestic battery, I’m not aware of the laws in Kansas, but a big problem with the vast majority of domestic battery cases is often the woman no longer wants to prosecute and does not show up at court to testify. Sometimes the evidence required to arrest a man for domestic battery is far less than desirable for both the defendant and prosecutors office. Not to say the evidence is sub par just that the man Is Innocent of said allegations.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 1:25pmI feel a domestic violence telethon coming on. Raising money so domestic violence cases can be prosecuted. Since the biggest beneficiaries will be women, maybe the NFL can have a month long deal like the obvious marketing the league to women that they do supposedly for breast cancer, where NFL players can ruin their uniforms by adding another color to it. Maybe two colors in this case, black and blue. Since a number of sports figures CAUSE the violence, it would be fitting.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 10:41amPitiful. Under obama…the nation is becoming like some African/congo republic. I wonder what percentaage of Topeka is black or Muslim. That statistic would say a lot about this article.
Report Post »mohavegreen
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 10:40amTOTO are things really that bad?
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 9:09am.
Report Post »Ladies pay attention. Way back about 24years ago, my friend Ray had a drinking problem. He got drunk one night and slapped his wife. She called 911 right after she sewed him up in the sheets and beat the crap out of him. Ray spent 4 days in ICU. Ray does not drink anymore and he is still married to his beautiful wife. Some times a good BEATING is all it takes, to wake up a cowardly male……
Gonzo
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 9:03amShould make the Muslims happy.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 10:39amLol
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 8:53amSigns of a System Collapse… just what Obama really wants!
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 7:34am.
Well then are you at least going to let the Police take some batting parctice?……..
Works better than a court date……….
Report Post »FedUpWithLeft
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 7:29amI guess everyone thinks alike on this one. It sounds like Sharia Law is already taking over Kansas. Will they prosecute if the women abuse the man like this. I just bet they will cough up the money for that. HMMMMM! YOU THINK!
Report Post »objectivetruth
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 9:15amCount on it.The man will beat her half to death.She may or may not strike back.He’ll cry that he was the victim.Domestic batterers and muslims have much in common.Its always the womens fault in there eyes.
Report Post »objectivetruth
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 9:20amDomestic batterers and muslims have much in common.The women is always to blame.He can beat her half to death before she stikes back [if she even does]he will just lie and claim she started it or used a weapon first.He will conviently deny that he beat her half to death before she struck back with or without a weapon.
Report Post »jcessna
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 6:51amI’m a Kansan and this is despicable to me as a citizen of a wonderful State but Surprise surprise this dude is a DemocRAT!
Report Post »prescotm
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 6:45amIs this the first step to Sharia Law? How many Muslims live there?
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 6:51amOMGosh, that was my exact comment…
Report Post »Nlitend1
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 8:18amApparently, sharia law can occur without muslims. In the Blazarro world, it only requires the tolerance of some democrats…because democrats are well-known for their pro-domestic violence views.
History of domestic violence lesson: It was the National Organization of Women (NOW) that fought for laws against DV in the 1970′s, but only after the supreme court gave millions of dollars to a woman who was stabbed many times by her estranged husband after police ignored a series of threats was DV made an act police had to address (Thurman v. Torrington).
Report Post »Carol Ingian
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 6:40amDomestic violence needs to be prosecuted, there are no good excuses not too. If the courts are strapped for cash, then charge the offender. States should be charging offenders and inmates for expenses created by their behavior.
Report Post »Women and children deserve to live their lives free from mental and physical harm. The courts need to remain tough, because sometimes it is a matter of life and death for a victim.
jhaydeng
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 8:00amI believe in using inexpensive means of prosecution..it’s called Louisville Slugger on these animals!
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