Every homicide is tragic, some are easier to comprehend than others, but Hartford's latest raises so many questions.
Last night a 43 year old woman left her job at the McDonald's restaurant on Albany Avenue a little before 10:30PM. She headed toward the bus stop for the bus ride to the Southend and her home on Adelaide Street. She apparently noticed her ex-husband following her and he began to harass her as she walked. According to police sources the woman had a protective order against her ex-husband. From what I am told she called 911 and reported this to the police. Police were immediately dispatched according to the information I was given.
Unfortunately, even an immediate police response couldn't prevent what happened next. The victim was essentially calling in and reporting her own murder to a 911 dispatcher. Two other witnesses across the street on Albany Avenue also reported the attack to 911 but were helpless to stop Hartford's next homicide. The victim was apparently knocked to the ground by her ex-husband and stabbed at least eight times, ending her life.
As tragic as this homicide is, it points to the even greater problem of domestic violence victims who think they are being protected by a protective order. In this case the protective order wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. The domestic violence victim today is dead, most likely thinking the system was protecting her before she was attacked.
Domestic violence is a big problem in Hartford, as well as in just about every other town. Large urban areas as well as the smallest village are not immune, but there has to be a better way to protect victims besides issuing a worthless sheet of paper.
In this age of technology there has to be a way to protect those who are relying on "orders of protection". My first thought would be a system using GPS for both the potential victim and the potential offender. A victim could be warned when a potential threat from the offender enters an area of 500 or 1000 feet from their GPS location. I'm sure it would be cumbersome, but the system we have obviously isn't working.
Last nights homicide victim is only one in a growing number of domestic violence victims being "protected" by worthless orders of protection.
Her ex-husband, her attacker, was also later found dead after he hung himself behind the Woodland Street Post Office.
Electronic bracelets for domestic violence protective orders? So as soon as someone alleges domestic violence, we can then tag the citizens and track their every move?
ReplyDeleteHow about individual privacy? Violence is big in urban areas period.domestic or otherwise. Maybe everyone living in large urban areas should be tagged.Just as long as you don't advocate it for the whole state.
I must have missed your thoughts for a possible solution.
ReplyDeleteSecurity experts pretty much seem to agree that the only thing orders of protection serve to do is to anger the person they are sworn out against. They call it "engage and enrage." The orders don't prevent anything.
ReplyDeletegive them the death penalty if they run afoul of the prtective order...that will change their behavior.
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