Posted on 08/07/2006 12:32:38 PM PDT by PercivalWalks
An important truth has been lost in the controversy over the way the Philadelphia Phillies handled pitcher Brett Myers after his recent arrest for spousal abuse. Mrs. Myers’ injuries and the accounts of several witnesses leave little reason to doubt her husband’s culpability. Nevertheless, the Phillies at first reserved judgment about the case, and allowed Myers to pitch.
This was wrong, as the team admitted after widespread criticism, and Myers was given a leave of absence. However, in many domestic violence cases the men arrested do deserve the open mind and support which the Phillies mistakenly extended Myers. Spousal abuse arrests are often dubious, in part because of misguided domestic violence laws and law enforcement policies.
Seattle police lieutenant Greg Schmidt, who created the Seattle Police Department's domestic violence investigation unit in 1994, says that the mandatory arrest laws of most states force police officers to make arrests "in petty incidents, often where the abuse is mutual or it is unclear who the aggressor was."
Moreover, Schmidt asserts, the dominant aggressor doctrine instructs police to downplay who struck the first blow in a domestic incident, and discourages dual arrests, which are often an appropriate measure. Instead, officers are pressured to see men and only men as the offenders.
Spurious spousal abuse accusations and domestic violence restraining orders are often used as legal maneuvers in divorce cases. The State Bar of California’s Family Law Section recently complained that these tactics are "increasingly being used in family law cases to help one side jockey for an advantage in child custody." They're "part of the gamesmanship of divorce," as one attorney recently explained in the Illinois Bar Journal.
An excellent example of what can happen to an athlete, or any man, is the saga of another major league pitcher arrested for spousal abuse--Scott Erickson.
Erickson was arrested after he called the police during an altercation with his girlfriend in July of 2002. According to the Associated Press, the Baltimore police concluded that Erickson's girlfriend Lisa Ortiz: initiated the fight by hurling objects; decided to come back twice after Erickson carried her out of the apartment; repeatedly kicked the apartment door; caused Erickson two minor injuries, one of them to his pitching arm; and herself suffered no injuries.
Nonetheless, the police arrested Erickson under Maryland's mandatory arrest law. Afterwards Ortiz publicly stated that Erickson, who did not pursue her either time after carrying her out, "has never been physically abusive toward me."
After Erickson’s arrest he was excoriated by sportswriters and domestic violence activists. Later, even as a police spokesperson announced that the charges against Erickson were being dropped, the spokesperson continued to refer to Ortiz as "the victim." To this day the influential Family Violence Prevention Fund lists Erickson in its "Hall of Shame."
In another case, Houston Astros shortstop Julio Lugo was arrested for a misdemeanor assault on his wife in April of 2003. Though Lugo maintained his innocence, the Astros--perhaps acting on the stereotype of Latin men as wife-beaters--got rid of him within hours of the incident. However, at Lugo’s trial his wife absolved him of guilt, and he was acquitted.
Contrary to the charges leveled by the Phillies’ numerous critics, the club wasn’t wrong in its desire to afford its player the benefit of the doubt. The problem is that in Myers’ case there is no doubt. However, the next time an athlete is arrested for domestic violence, there probably will be. Will the team involved turn its back on its player because of the precedent set in the Myers case?
This article first appeared in the Delaware County Daily Times [Philadelphia], 8/2/06 and the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star (8/5/06).
Mike McCormick is the Executive Director of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, the world’s largest shared parenting organization. Their website is www.acfc.org.
Glenn Sacks serves on the advisory board of Stop Abuse for Everyone, an international domestic violence organization. His columns have appeared in dozens of the largest newspapers in the United States.
Dimitri Young of the Tigers was on one of those extended leaves for much of this season after an arrest for domestic violence and substance abuse. He's finally returned and I'm hoping he gets his life back on track.
I should have added that it was one of those her word against his things and it's really hard to know for sure what happened in a hotel room.
According to the article the wife sustained injuries and there were witnesses...I don't see how it's her word against his...sounds like he beat her up-what a rat!
Dimitri Young?
The thing is there's a lot of pressure to recant accusations like that. A wife takes back her accusation at her rich husband's trial? Who knows what really happened.
Myers beat his wife on a public street in Boston. The witnesses also pulled this POS off of his wife after he had punched her in the face several times and drug her down the street by her hair. This isn't anywhere close to a "her word against his"!
I did not know the details...what a pig. Thanks for the information.
I am confused...I thought we were talking witnesses etc. I am not familiar with this case. Although, a later poster has provided some disturbing details.
Oh sorry-that is a she said/he said situation for sure. My neighbor two houses down was arrested a couple of weeks ago for domestic abuse...did I mention SHE broke her husbands nose? It's a crazy world out there.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.