In March, our Bellflower domestic violence criminal defense lawyers wrote about a spousal abuse arrest for Newport Beach's city attorney. David Hunt was arrested March 14 after what the newspaper described as a family fight that injured his wife. Hunt had not returned to work since then, because the Orange County District Attorney's Office had not made a decision about whether to file charges. Now, the Orange County Register reported June 2, that office has decided against continuing the prosecution. A spokeswoman for the prosecutors said the office decided that despite a recording of a 911 call from Hunt's son, there was not enough evidence to prove the case. The Newport Beach City Council voted to reinstate Hunt to his job right away.
In the March 14 incident, Hunt's younger son, age 16, made the 911 call. He told the dispatcher that his father "just went crazy," pushing his mother down and then going after his older brother, age 18. The other family members are not identified by name in the article. Asked what started the fight, the older son said his father had walked into the house and "started throwing around some pretty stupid and serious accusations." The young man said his father grabbed him, and everybody jumped into the argument, which eventually ended with the mother and younger brother being physically thrown off. The mother hit a table and ended up with a bump on her head and a cut arm, previous news reports said. The district attorney's spokeswoman said the evidence didn't show that Hunt "willfully" battered his wife, so the two prosecutors who reviewed it didn't feel it was strong enough for prosecution.
As Fullerton domestic violence criminal defense attorneys, we're pleased that the district attorney's office recognized this. The outcome may not be to everyone's liking, but it's both smart and fair for prosecutors to recognize when their evidence doesn't meet the standard laid out by the law. Criminal cases must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a high standard, but when someone may be going to prison, a high standard is appropriate. In this case, the spokeswoman seems to be saying that her office did not believe the behavior was "willful," suggesting that Hunt's wife may have been injured unintentionally. The office also stressed that Hunt, a city-level prosecutor, was not given preferential treatment by the county prosecutors. For the sake of justice, as well as the sake of his family members, we hope that's true.
Howard Law, P.C. represents people throughout California who are accused of domestic violence. As this case shows, you aren't necessarily guilty just because you're accused or even arrested. Domestic violence is a crime that usually takes place between two people and behind closed doors, which means it's frequently a question of one person's word against another's. If you believe you are falsely accused, our Chino Hills domestic violence criminal defense lawyers can help you build a tight defense, using physical evidence as well as evidence about the accuser's motives and your own past history. If appropriate, we can also negotiate on your behalf for a less serious charge that might better reflect the incident and its circumstances.
If you're accused of domestic violence, don't wait before calling Howard Law, P.C. for help. To set up a free, confidential case evaluation, please contact us online or call 1-800-872-5925 today.
