A new low

A Leavenworth man is accused of punching out his mother, police say. The precipitating event was allegedly an argument over a rental car.

Live to tell

A southeast Missouri woman -- a reporter -- writes about surviving a stabbing by her husband.

Lizabeth Wilson's brother bound over for trial

Lizabeth Wilson was a Prairie Village girl who was abducted and killed back in 1974 -- it's only in the last few years that her killer, John Henry Horton, was put on trial. The hearings put Lizabeth's brother, John, and one of her childhood friends back in touch. They got married.

But now they're divorcing. And Wilson is facing criminal charges for allegedly attacking his wife. Diane Carroll has more here.

Should victims of domestic violence be FORCED to testify?

In Las Vegas, advocates for battered women are furious that prosecutors occasionally issue warrants for victims of domestic violence, if they fail to show up for the accused's trial. A victim is dragged to court in handcuffs.

Domestic-violence advocates say it isn't fair to the victims, who are often terrified to testify. They're afraid the boyfriend/husband/defendant is going to track them down and kill them. Prosecutors say they only issue warrants in rare cases -- where the defendant represents a threat to not just the victim, but others in the community.

They try to prosecute using other evidence, they say, but sometimes a witness/victim is the only way to win.

Muslim cleric convicted for how-to-beat-your-wife manual

Story is from Spain, which gave the gentleman in question a suspended sentence. The book tells husbands basically how to beat their soulmates without leaving marks or bruises -- very thoughtful. In his defense, the cleric says he was just interpreting the Koran.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, riskybzns!

Canadian electrician tries to electrocute wife in shower, police say

By attaching some wiring to their plumbing, police say. She reportedly got zapped, but was well enough to spot the section of drywall that he'd cut away and see what had been done. (Being married to an electrician, maybe she picked up a few tricks of the trade?)

Fight over cell phone turns brutal, prosecutors say

From The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office: Jackson County Prosecutor Jim Kanatzar today announced that Mark W. King (06/20/69) has been charged with First Degree Assault and Armed Criminal Action. The charges stem from an argument over a cell phone that turned violent.

According to court documents, police were called an apartment in the 11200 block of Oak where they found the victim covered in blood and suffering major bruising and swelling on the left side of her face. She told police she had been in King's apartment when King couldn't find his cell phone.

When she denied having it, King allegedly became enraged, striking her first with a hammer and then with a frying pan. She managed to escape the apartment and summon police. King was taken into custody at the scene.

Prosecutors have requested a $250,000 cash bond.

IL man tried to kill wife because she didn't want to have sex on honeymoon, police say

The story describes a pretty brutal attack, but the woman was able to escape and get help.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, JUNGLE JIM!

Chris Cagle, girlfriend accused of domestic assault

Country singer Chris Cagle and his girlfriend, Jennifer Tant, are looking at charges of domestic assault after they allegedly, drunkenly smacked each other with an umbrella and a purse. He was the one using the purse, CMT reports. (Also, CMT calls her Taut, but AP says her last name is Tant.)

We play both kinds of music on CSKC, country and western.

IL woman says she stabbed husband's lizards because he beat her, police say

She's facing a charge of aggravated cruelty to animals after reportedly stabbing two bearded dragon lizards with a steak knife. Her husband, though, is charged with domestic battery.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Keith G in PV!

Houseguest decides to intervene in domestic disturbance ...

... and is rewarded by having a gun pointed at her head. Hint: Your first mistake was caring. Story is from Columbia.

OK man uses BB gun to solve most family problems, police say

An Oklahoma man is accused of grabbing a BB gun and shooting his son when he got bad grades, his daughter when she broke a window blind and his wife, well, just because.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, KMB!

Boyfriend gets 5 years for chaining lovah to engine block

Then he's going to be deported. His attorney argued that it wasn't fair because it was the GIRLFRIEND'S idea to tie her up. Riiiight. Authorities say the defendant was worried that she was cheating on him. The woman was eventually rescued when a neighbor saw "CALL 911" written in condensation on the couple's window. Story is from Utah.

Hutch woman accused of biting off husband's fingertip

Police aren't sure what they were fighting about. They're pretty sure she swallowed the fingertip because nobody's been able to find it.

Dear Friend

If your live-in girlfriend comes after you with a machete, and you are somehow lucky enough to get her away from it without losing a forearm, don't hang around the house. Don't hide the machete and expect everything to be cool. GET THE HELL OUT.

Because she might go looking for the machete again, and she just might find it.

Dueling banjos? How about dueling frying pans?

Of course, the story is from Tennessee ...

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Patty PV!

Some things cannot be blamed on the dog

A Frenchwoman is getting 12 years in prison after castrating her lover and then trying to blame it on the dog.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2!

Boy, 12, calls 911 but ends up getting arrested himself, police say

Lovely story from Leavenworth County, where a 12-year-old boy allegedly called 911 and accused his stepdad of hitting him.

Police learn that, yes, stepdad slapped the boy ... after the boy had shoved his pregnant mother, who had told him to stop playing video games. Junior also acknowledged that he punched Stepdad in the nose, before Stepdad slapped him, police say.

The 12-year-old was arrested, The Times reports.

Vanilla Ice's wife won't press domestic-violence charge

Story from the Orlando Sentinel.

Pregnant teen assaults baby daddy with waffle iron, police say

Story is from Sheboygan. According to Baby Daddy, he and the pregnant teen's sisters were laughing at a joke, but she thought they were laughing at her. Baby Mama and Baby Daddy reportedly traded slaps, which led Baby Mama to throw a waffle iron at him. He'll live.

Why violent jerks shouldn't try to French kiss

If you rough up your girlfriend and THEN try to kiss her, don't be surprised if she decides to bite off a good chunk of your tongue. And don't be surprised if the 911 guys have a tough time understanding you ...

Hat Tip: Many thanks, JUNGLE JIM!

NM woman mistakes lovah for porn star ... and that is NOT a good thing

Great googly-moogly ... A New Mexico woman is accused of chasing her boyfriend with a knife because she believed he was an actor in the porno movie they were watching together. He took off down the street in his shorts, carrying only a phone. She's accused of leaving her 8-month-old alone as she chased Lovah Boy down the street.

Best Part: This happened at 10:30 on a Wednesday morning.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2 and Goshel!

Some headlines just write themselves

From the Leavenworth Times: "Man attacked by angry wife." (With muddy boot ...)

Lee's Summit woman accused of setting husband on fire

After he allegedly failed to pay her $3K for marrying him. (Sounds like there might be some question over his immigration status.) Snip from WDAF-TV:

Grines' husband told police that an argument turned physical at their Lee's Summit apartments.  According to the husband, Grines broke tables, glasses and ripped-up the sofa with a box cutter.

Grines' husband told police she dosed him with rubbing alcohol and lit his shirt on fire. He said she helped him put out the flames.

How to tell if the honeymoon is over

Ohio man accused of handcuffing his wife and putting her inside dog cage, just a few days after they tied the knot in Vegas, police say.

TX man shot at wife because she sold aluminum cans, police say

Police say Daniel Dong, 46, also threatened to burn down the couple's house. The wife was unharmed.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, JUNGLE JIM!

Vanilla Ice arrested, lambasted with own lyrics in story comments

UPDATE: Well, apparently he was just released. But earlier he was arrested on domestic battery charges after an altercation with his wife.

"To the extreme I hit my wife like a vandal. Light up with rage and whack her mug with my sandal."

Here's his mug shot.

Hat tip: To JUNGLE JIM -- for story, mug, comments!

| Sara Shepherd

File photo -- note the shaved eyebrow! -- from back in the day (meaning the '90s)

FL couple nearly kill each other over hot dogs

Story is from the Tampa Bay area. Apparently, the wife fixed hot dogs for dinner, and when Hubby grabbed the plate from her, she sunk a steak knife into his shoulder, police say. He then grabbed a gun and pointed it at her head, promising to kill her. Not sure why they're not both dead right now ...

Vacuuming led to fight between Nebraska women, police say

One of them insisted on vacuuming while the other was sleeping, prompting a beatdown, police say. And, oh good, the children got to watch. Bravo.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, JH!

FL woman tried to run over husband 20 times, police say

Lord, I wish I had video of this. She allegedly chased him around their yard in their minivan after they got into a fight over $300. At some point, he tried to throw a brick through the windshield.

Good news, though! Their baby was safely buckled up in the backseat.

KCPD investigates life-threatening stabbing

From KCPD: On Saturday at approximately 9:30pm, KCMO Police were called to a residence in the 500 block of Maple Street in regard to a disturbance. Upon arrival officer's located a stabbing/cutting victim (black male in his 40's) outside of the residence. He was transported by Mast to a local hospital in critical condition.

It appears the victim was arguing with his girlfriend (black female in her 30's) inside their apartment when she stabbed/cut him several times with a kitchen knife. She is not in custody and detectives ask that anyone with information in regard to her whereabouts to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

Lee's Summit PD investigates shooting Sunday night

From Lee's Summit PD: At 7:20 p.m. police officers were dispatched to 242 NW Monroe on a 9-1-1 call reporting a shooting inside the residence. The female victim who made the call reported being shot by her estranged boyfriend.

Upon officers arrival they confirmed the 31-year-old female had been shot one time just above the right knee. The suspect had already fled the scene before officers arrived. The victim relayed they had been separated for the past three weeks until the suspect arrived this evening and entered unannounced.

It is believed the suspect brought the gun with him to the residence. The victim was transported to an area hospital with a non life-threatening wound. Knowing the 24-year-old suspect's identity, detectives are currently working to get him to surrender and speaking with those close to him.   

Restraining orders for pets?

The Wisconsin Senate has approved a bill that would let pets be included in restraining orders because abusers often hurt or kill pets as a way to terrorize their victims. (Here's hoping the restraining order works better for Rex and Sparky than it has for a lot of women.)

Not remotely crime-related

Two thoughts:

1. If you stick your finger in somebody's mouth, you have to assume they might try and bite it, no matter how adorable they are.

2. Charlie looks like he's really enjoying this. Keep an eye on that one -- we don't want him growing up to be a cannibal.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Cronk!

AZ man accused of biting off wife's fingertip

From the Arizona Republic:

It was when Melanie Hernandez was pointing at her husband that he bit off the tip of her finger, authorities said.

When police later asked why, Michael Hernandez said: "It was in my face."

KS bill would shine light on domestic-violence cases

Basically, the bill would flag cases that have an element of domestic violence to them, even if they're not specifically a case of domestic violence, the Eagle reports. For example, if a husband burned down his family's house, that would be not just as arson, but as domestic violence, too.

Once a case is designated as being domestic violence, that means all the social-service agencies can help victims get into shelters and get other services more quickly.

PA man accused of attacking stepdaughter with garden gnome

He'd apparently come home drunk, cut the phone lines and started punching holes in the walls, police say. The teenager was able to push him outside, where he allegedly found the garden gnome and chucked it through a window and hit her.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, JUNGLE JIM

KC man accused of kicking wife's stomach because she didn't bring beer fast enough

Terry W. Seward, 46, faces two counts of first-degree domestic assault and other crimes after he allegedly kicked his wife in the stomach because she didn't get him a beer fast enough late Friday, Jackson County prosecutors allege. Seward is also accused of stabbing his two sons during a fight a short time later.

Here's a PDF of the probable cause.

New Bureau of Justice Statistics report on domestic violence

People accused of domestic violence tend to have a higher conviction rate than people accused of other, non-domestic kinds of assaults, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports. And they tend to go away for longer sentences.

Aren't you going to wash that?

A South Carolina man is accused of trying to stab his wife in the heart with a fork -- he allegedly missed, then licked the utensil clean and put it back in the drawer, his family told police. (He reportedly had been drinking heavily and then accused his wife of cheating on him for eight years.)

How the IRS (sort of) got a guy shot in the arm

Story is from Colorado. The guy was living with his wife, even though they were going through a divorce.

She opens a letter from the IRS, expecting a refund. Nope. The tax guys were keeping the money and using it to pay off one of her old school loans. She starts screaming at her soon-to-be ex.

She opens another letter. Turns out Hubby had paid an attorney a retainer to oversee the divorce. So he had money for the divorce, but wouldn't help her out with the old school debt. She flips out, grabs his gun and shoots him in the arm, hitting an artery.

He lives, so the charge is only attempted murder. She's been sentenced to 18 years.

Will lawsuits help put teeth into restraining orders?

Interesting story from North Carolina. A woman there is suing police because they reportedly failed to arrest her ex after he violated a protection order. The man eventually killed the woman's stepdaughter and left her with a near-fatal neck wound. She says there were other incidents where she reported him to police, but they didn't arrest him.

Domestic-violence advocates there say it could be a landmark -- and could force local authorities to do more to enforce restraining orders.

UPDATED: Reader Keith G in PV passes along this story from the Christian Science Monitor. In a similar case from 2005, the U.S. Supremes ruled against the victim because the state law, while it urged police to enforce restraining orders, didn't include language making it mandatory.

Seattle police handle domestic disturbance involving homemade spear

We're not sure who was wielding it. Police say they found three people: a man, his wife and, uh, his supposed girlfriend. That's probably one of those conversations where you don't want an idle spear just lying around.

It takes a village to beat the @#$% out of a wifebeater

Story is from Tennessee. A 50-year-old man was beating his wife with a metal chair and probably would have killed her if several of their neighbors hadn't come to her rescue -- and started beating HIM, police said.

LA firefighter tried to make wife eat dog feces, police say

Both he and she are looking at a charge of domestic abuse battery. (She reportedly bit him on the leg.)

Hat Tip: Many thanks, JUNGLE JIM!

Frederick Freeman

Freeman, 35, of Kansas City has pleaded guilty to beating his girlfriend back in July, the Platte County prosecutor's office reports. (The charge was second-degree domestic assault.)

Nicole Josephson

Nicole Josephson, 23, of Des Moines is accused of throwing a pair of scissors at her boyfriend, cutting him on the elbow. This follows some other alleged unpleasantness ...

According to officers, Josephson and Michael Hickman, 27, have lived together since 2004. On Wednesday night Josephson reportedly became angry with Hickman and took his pizza out of the oven and threw it in the sink.

Hickman retaliated, police said, by taking Josephson's hardboiled eggs off the stove and tossing them on top of the pizza.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2!

California legislator doesn't want domestic-violence convicts to date

California is thinking about offering a public database of people convicted of domestic violence, making it easier for their dates to check out their backgrounds. It wouldn't list the convicts' home addresses, but would include birth dates and where the crimes happened.

We'll have fun, fun, fun till Daddy takes his iPod away

Lovely tale of domestic contentment from Washington State, where a 13-year-old allegedly ordered his dad off the computer so he could download music to his iPod. Dad said no, but Junior reportedly hopped on the machine when he stepped away for a minute and started downloading. Daddy came back and took the iPod away as punishment.

Which is when Junior allegedly started "biting a chunk of skin off his finger and kicking him in the groin several times." Mom got involved, too, and punched Dad in the face several times because she thought HE was too strict, police say. She won a free trip to jail.

Naked couple fights over letting dog into the shower -- WA police intervene

Basically, he wanted the dog to join them in the shower. She said it was her or the dog. He theorized his next girlfriend would be more appreciative. She proceeds to beat the fu-schnickens out of her beau, police said. No word on the dog.

Hat Tip, Level Umbra: Many thanks to the one known as John Boy!

No peeking means no peeking!

A Wyoming woman is accused of stabbing her husband in the chest after he allegedly opened a Christmas present early, police say. (There might have been more going on, though -- the woman, at some point, allegedly accused him of having an affair.)

MI woman, 61, aims gun at husband, hits TV instead

Snip:

During the 911 call, he said he was scared and wasn’t coming out of the house because she was upstairs.

The wife then got on the phone, saying to the dispatcher, “he pushed me over the edge that was all.”

She said she was fed up that he was taking out his problems—a family member dying and his recently stroke—out on her.

"He’s taking it all out on me,” she told the dispatcher.

“No, I’m not,” he protested.

Girlfriend chained to motor in closet -- for weeks

Whenever the boyfriend left the apartment, he left her chained to the engine block. Doors were double-dead-bolted and windows were screwed closed. Neighbors didn't even know a woman lived there.

How did anyone possibly find her? Her chain was just long enough to walk around the room, so she spelled out  "911" in condensation on the window.

Hat Tip: Here ya go kmb, thanks!

"You thought your last lover was crazy"

The breakup from hell: Can't really summarize it without ruining it. KCTV has the scoop here.

Papa Pilgrim

This man is Robert Hale, but most people call him Papa Pilgrim. He's been sentenced to 14 years for rape, incest and coercion in Alaska, where his wife and 14 of his 15 kids testified against him. It's one of the nastier abuse stories I've seen in a while.

Best part is this lovely quote from Papa:

"I can hardly believe the lips of my children, using words like 'beat unmercifully,' " said the gray-bearded prisoner in a slow drawl. "My children don't even know what it means to be hit."

As Superior Court Judge Donald Hopwood told him to bring his autobiographical rambling to a conclusion, panic entered Hale's voice. He said his family -- especially the daughter he'd admitted raping in his plea deal -- risked eternal judgment unless they repented for lying about him.

If you want to make your skin crawl, the Anchorage Daily News has a series of stories about Pop.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Golfer!

Joplin man used sword to jab fiancee in throat, police say

Good news is the woman is OK. (That's the thing about keeping a sword around the house: You're eventually going to be tempted to use it.)

Naked couple fights in street while pit bull runs loose, SC police say

In Greenville, S.C., police found a naked man and a naked pregnant woman fighting in the street. When officers arrived, there was also a pit bull on the loose and a plastic sword lying on the ground.

The man told authorities that his girlfriend tried to stab him in the heart during an argument. After the man was arrested, he started spitting up what he thought was blood. The paramedic told him that it was red wine that he had been drinking earlier.

According to the wife, the man had been drinking wine, got to feeling amorous and then became violent when she refused his services.

Mega-Hat-Tip: Many thanks, Frankie B!

Freeway fistfight traverses four-plus lanes

Video clip from Phoenix, where a couple of men --- described as boyfriends --- are shown fighting all the way across a busy freeway. They were arrested on domestic violence charges, but surprisingly not hit by any cars.

--- Sara Shepherd

When baby mamas attack ...

Des Moines police arrested a 22-year-old woman after she allegedly hit and scratched her baby daddy, then threw some of his clothes out a third-story window. The catalyst? Baby daddy reportedly called the 2-year-old byproduct of their physical love "a piece of #$%^."

Baby daddy says there was a misunderstanding and never called Junior "#$%^." He said he was going outside to smoke and baby mama apparently didn't hear him right.

Chinese wife decided to cure husband's Internet addiction the hard way, authorities say

By cutting off his right hand. Snip:

"I was on the internet, and suddenly felt a numbness in my right hand. The arrow on the screen stopped moving," says Jiang Ming.

"Then I found that my right hand was on the mouse pad, and blood was shooting out."

I've seen a lot of stories about husbands getting dismembered. Not saying this is remotely OK, but I think there are a lot worse things she could have removed.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Rosie!

MO woman survives being set on fire, police say

In Springfield, authorities have charged a 26-year-old man with setting his wife on fire after they allegedly argued about his drinking. She lived, but she's in critical condition and has burn over 60 percent of her body. He's facing one charge of felony domestic assault.

Chytoria Graham

The case is from Pennsylvania. Graham has been convicted of swinging her 4-week-old baby at her boyfriend, which fractured the child's skull. (Graham and her boyfriend got into a fight after she'd been out drinking.) Sentencing isn't until December, but the mandatory is five years in prison.

Not sure what punishment, if any, the boyfriend is going to receive.

Hat Tip: Thanks, Golfer

KCK display to shine light on domestic violence

KCK PD's victim services unit has a display planned for tomorrow called "Every Sole Has A Story," designed to draw attention to domestic violence. About 1,500 pair of shoes will be displayed on city hall's front plaza, and each pair will represent a domestic-violence victim who got help from the department last year.

The exhibit will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can buy a picnic lunch there for $3 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The shoes will be donated to homeless and domestic-violence shelters.

World's most trusting woman survives brush with death

So ... you're divorcing your husband, but the two of you are living together in the meantime. Cool.

One evening, he invites you into the garage to show you the Haunted House he's built for the kids. During the tour, you agree to (A) wear a blindfold, (B) climb a ladder and (C) let him put handcuffs on you. Well, OK, that's not for me, but who am I to second-guess your life choices?

But ... and I say this as a disinterested bystander ... maybe you shouldn't let him tie a noose around your throat. He might not have your best interests at heart.

The irreconcilable difference? She wanted to castrate him

A Taiwanese man has been granted a divorce because his wife has repeatedly threatened to cut off his Special Gift. The article says the man is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. His wife allegedly kept a knife beside their bed when she woke him up to interrogate him.

Hat Tip: Thanks, kmb!

British man stabbed after eating his girlfriend's pork chops

A British woman has pleaded guilty to stabbing her lovah in the leg with a steak knife after he ate her pork chops. Snip:

Her barrister, Paul Genney, said: "Had she not been so drunk, she would have poked him with the knife but, struggling around drunk, she stabbed him."

Hat Tip: Many thanks, kmb!

 

AZ kiddo gets hit with pepper spray while parents argue

Lovely story from Arizona, where Ma and Pa get into a screaming argument. At some point, their 5-year-old gets hit with pepper spray. There are different versions of the story: Pa says he was giving Kiddo a piggyback ride, Ma says he was using Junior as a human shield against her pepper spray.

Man, remember when adults used to never argue in front of the kids? At this point, I would settle for not using pepper spray in front of the kids.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, eephus!

Worst. Hideout. Ever.

In Salt Lake City, a man accused of beating his child's mother picked an unlikely place to hide: a plastic playhouse for children, police said. A group of kids spotted the man and alerted police.

World's dumbest husband has near-death experience

A Malaysian wife is accused of nearly severing her husband's penis after he allegedly compared her sex skills to those of his second, younger wife. After a motorcycle ride to the hospital and 11 stitches, the doctors were able to reaffix the body part.

From the Shawnee police blotter ...

1:07 p.m. Sept. 23