Testimony on Domestic Violence Law in Kansas to be Heard

 

Kansas lawmakers to hear testimony on domestic violence law

Newton Kansan  Posted Jan 29, 2010 @ 05:00 PM

TOPEKA — At 1:30 p.m. Monday, (State Capitol Rm S-144) members of the House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice will hear testimony about proposed legislation that will assist the criminal justice system in documenting crimes associated with domestic violence and track repeated offenders.

Curt and Christie Brungardt, parents of the late Jana Mackey, will speak in support of the proposed legislation. Jana Mackey, a 25-year-old KU Law student was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in July 2008. Recently the Brungardts have created Jana’s Campaign to Stop Domestic Violence to encourage and promote a public policy response to domestic violence. “We believe it is our responsibility to use the story of Jana’s life and the story of her death to help reduce violence against women.” The campaign’s goal is to promote new and effective legislation that will secure safety and justice for victims of domestic violence. “It is our deep desire to turn this tragedy into something positive and play a significant role in reducing domestic violence.”

House Bill 2517 requires a domestic violence tag be placed on all legal documents associated with a criminal act that is based on an intimate relationship. Having this DV tag is especially important as offenders often repeat their crimes against victims. Therefore, this legislation encourages sanctions to be put in place before violence escalates.

Others testifying at the hearing include representatives from the Attorney General’s office, the Governor’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, Department of Corrections, law enforcement, and the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and

Kansas lawmakers to hear testimony on domestic violence law - Newton, KS - The Newton Kansan

Recording Released In Murder-Suicide Case - Louisville News Story - WLKY Louisville

It is about time!  We hear all the time about these murder-suicides and everyone always makes noises about “Why was those kids even with that parent?” Well...this article gives one scenario as to how that happens.  Another scenario that is also popular is that a Family Court Judge gave them to the parent that eventually ends up killing them, but that is not the case here.

In this situation, it was a couple of cops that felt they didn’t have to read the entirety of the judges orders.  They just went on and did what they ‘thought’ they should do.

The fact that this dad turned around, not very long after he was given temporary (illegal) custody of his child, murdered his child and committed suicide; makes me wonder if he were even telling the truth about the mom in his EPO.  I think...probably not.  I think...this was another abuser that was trying to further the abuse because she left him and this was the only control that he could hold over her.

The trial is set for October in this case...so I guess we shall see if justice will be done for this small boy who’s life was ended WAY too early.

Recording Released In Murder-Suicide Case

Recording Shows Father Told Police He Didn't Have Custody Of Son

By Eric King/WLKY  POSTED: 6:24 pm EST January 28, 2010

BARDSTOWN, Ky. -- WLKY has uncovered new information in a Bardstown murder-suicide case.

WLKY obtained an audio recording of a conversation between Timothy Frazier and the Lawrenceburg Police Department. Police said in May 2009, Frazier shot his 21-month-old son in the head, then turned the gun on himself.

MP3: Listen To Police Recording

The Lawrenceburg Police Department is being sued for illegally taking the boy from his mother and placing him in the custody of his father, who according to police, later killed him.

In the call, Frazier made it clear, three times, that he did not have custody of the child.

The call came into the Lawrenceburg Police Department on May 13, just hours after Frazier filed an emergency protective order against his ex-girlfriend, Candice Dempsey, of 21-month-old Cole.

The EPO was filed in Bardstown, where Frazier lived. Dempsey lived in Lawrenceburg.

In the call, ... Murder-Suicide Case - Louisville News Story - WLKY Louisville

What is Best for the Kids

 

Dads 'not entitled to shared parenting'

Caroline Overington

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/dads-not-entitled-to-shared-parenting/story-e6frf7jx-1225824407249

From:The Australian

January 28, 2010 4:23PM

SEPARATED fathers are not entitled to a 50-50 time split with their children, and legislation introduced by the Howard government in 2006 should be amended to make that clear, a report says.

A 300-report by retired family court judge Richard Chisholm recommends five changes to the so-called "shared parenting" law, which he described as a "tangle" that had taken the focus off "what is best for the children," The Australian reports.

The hotly anticipated Chisholm report, which was ordered by Attorney-General Robert McClelland after the shocking death of Melbourne girl Darcey Freeman, who was thrown to her death from the West Gate Bridge last year, says the shared parenting law has made it difficult for women to raise allegations of violence in the Family Court system.

A separate, 1000-page report by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, also released this afternoon, says the majority of lawyers now believe that the 2006 reforms favour fathers over mothers, and parents over children.

The two reports into shared parenting - plus a third report, by the Family Law Council - were released simultaneously by Mr McClelland this afternoon.

Mr McClelland said the Government would review all reports before making changes but agreed that a false idea had taken hold in the community that fathers were entitled to a 50-50 time split.

“How we address that is what we've now got to decide,” he said.

Read more about the released reports at The Australian.