Color Me Butterfly

I met a woman who was attacked by her husband and his new girlfriend with a knife. During the attack she gained possession of the knife and stabbed her husband several times. She naively thought that she was defending herself and never imagined that she would be charged with assualt and attempted murder. Her husband had physically abused her for many years. They had two sons and she had finally decided to leave. He stalked her and made numerous threats against her life. She went to trial and was found guilty under a lesser charge. She was sentenced to 20 days in jail and 10 years parole. She was lucky but PA needs to establish some clear self-defense laws, especially for victims of domestic abuse.

Dawn,

I reside in PA and I totally agree with your feelings regarding PA laws for self-defense and other domestic abuse laws. I've been a victim of domestic violence and the laws which govern the State of PA needs to be revised and re-defined. I'm praying and believing that enough people would begin to verbalize their voices to their local Congress and Senators to engage upon a journey of change. We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us!

October 11, 2008
Davis

In Nov 2008, I was a victim of abuse in my home. My boyfriend choked me, beat me in my head with his fist. Each time I would try to run for help he would beat me even more. In self defense, I stabbed him, he ran outside. When police arrived, we lied and said I stabbed him because he wanted to leave. I was arrested and was in jail for 2wks. He later recanted his statement, said he lied in fear of going to jail for domestic violence. My employer, Verizon Wireless (Hopeline) placed me on a leave of absence without pay. My charges were later placed on Dead Dockett and I was ordered to attend Anger Management classes. Once completed with classes, charges will be discharged and exspunged from my records. My employer terminated me anyway. I am left with the guilt of defending myself. I have lost my job of ten years. Now I wish I had taken my chances on him beating me to death, at least I would have my job and could take care of my son. There need to be more laws in place.

You shouldn't and mustnot feel guilty. You did what was right, an animal backed in a corner will fight its attacker and we are after all animals! It was either be killed by your ex or defend yourself for crying out loud. The Law has become so blind to helping the right people that cold hard killers even have the possibility of getting out of jail. It is also sad that you all feel ashamed for protecting yourselves and your children, what if he was to go after your children? Instincts kick in that all mothers have of protecting them and their children. Reform must be done to the Law for this " innocent until proven guilty" thing and " all people have the right to representation before a court of law" is just just down right wrong. If law enforcement cannot tell the difference between self defense and homicide the world as we know it is done for. Good luck to you all and God Bless!

Every human being has the right to defend theirself. God has given all creatures a means of self defense. We don`t have claws and sharp teeth, but we have the knowledge to make our own weapons. I think starting a petition for self defense laws that protect innocent citizens, (instead of criminals) is a place to begin and write to our blind leaders to let them know we are fed up with their narrow minded and sissy run away laws.

My current boyfriend lived in PA while married to his first wife. She was out with her friends at a party getting drunk and sleeping with different men in the bathroom. One of my boyfriends friends contacted him and told him about it. He called her and told her not to come home (he was working full time and going to law school) he was tired and did not want to deal with her BS. She called her father and said she wanted to go home to get some things (that same night) her father came over with her, while he was asleep. He woke up she started fighting with him, he told her she is about to lose everything in the marriage. She started hitting him he pushed her out of his way, they were in the doorway. Her father shot him in the head and back, my boyfriend lunged into him by now they were in the kitchen, my bf grabbed a knife while hugging him he stabbed his fater-in-law in the back. He eventually died and my boyfriend was sentenced to 10 years for murder. He did his time got out 3 years early. Now he cant get hired for a job because he has a murder in his background checks. Now my family being so nieve thinks he is a BAD person because they wont even listen to the story of what happened. They ran a background on him when we started dating which, yes is none of their business but they did anyway, now we are not speaking to my family because of this. It all could have been avoided if PA would do the right thing and have a "Self Defense" law! His life has been ruined because of this charge against him.