In a recent post, we discussed the importance of reliable witnesses in the courtroom to prove or disprove domestic disputes. There are always two sides to every story; without testimony from other witnesses, accusations of domestic violence often come down to a “he said, she said” situation. This was the case of a prominent politician was granted a retrial for a 2010 conviction on attempted assault and harassment of his wife because the court determined that the man should have been able to call witnesses to discredit her accusations.
During the retrial, a witness testified that the wife admitted that the incident in question may have been an accident. This was enough for the jury in the retrial to acquit the man of the domestic violence charges. Unfortunately, the man lost a promising political career because of the accusations. When he resigned from his elected office in 2011, he stated that he hoped the truth would come out in the end of the judicial process. Although it took three long years, it appears that justice was finally served. The couple is now getting a divorce.
This case is an excellent example of the importance of having an aggressive criminal defense attorney on your side. Even though the emotions in such cases are high, the stakes are even higher. It doesn’t matter if you are married, divorced, dating or cohabitating: those who are faced with a restraining order or accused of domestic abuse could benefit from discussing the situation with an attorney.
Source: New Jersey Herald, “NY ex-mayor acquitted of domestic violence charges,” Jim Fitzgerald, June 21, 2013.