Thursday, October 13, 2011

The Criminal Justice Side of Me

Hey everyone so I feel like on here I talk alot about my friends and baking and school.  But I have never talked about what I do or learn in school.  I had a OOCA (out of class assignment) to write Evelyn Humphrey's BWS (battered womens syndrome) case. I was suppose to talk about the case and give my thoughts I figured I would share this with my fellow bloggers. Time to get all CSI:Miami on you lol


O2 –C-A: BWS: Evelyn Humphrey
            The case of People v. Humphrey is based on a woman named Evelyn Humphrey who shot and killed her boyfriend, Albert Hampton.  While driving back to their home in Fresno California from a camping trip, Hampton made a statement about the mountains being a perfect place to kill her and no one would be able to find her body.  The very next day Hampton started beating on her again, Humphrey grabbed a gun and said “you are not going to hit me anymore” and shot Hampton.  Immediately after shooting him she called the police and waited outside for their arrival.  When questioned by the police is admitted to the shooting and claimed that it was in self-defense.

            When the case went to court Humphrey’s lawyers went right for the BWS reasoning, but the jury was instructed to disregard this reasoning when questioning her actions.  As a result the jury convicted Humphrey’s of voluntary manslaughter as well as personal use of a firearm.  She was sentenced to eight years. Humphrey did appeal her conviction for involuntary manslaughter.

            First of for some reason I had trouble finding this case and the information that was available seemed to be quite vague and not as detailed as some other cases.  Based off what I read I think that she react the way most woman, who have been beaten for a long time, would have react, she snapped.  It is like a typical person that is constantly being pushed around and made fun of, after a while they get tired of it and they just snap.  I always find it hard to pass judgment on people that murder due to BWS or bullying.  Sometimes they feel that killing is their last resort, that it’s either the culprit or me.  BWS is a serious issue and people who have never experienced it or are on the outside looking in do not understand why the woman cannot just get up and walk away.  Well let’s look at the women who have tried:

Tracy Thurman
  • -          Husband constantly beating her
  • -          Got a restraining order
  • -          Husband constantly ignoring the restraining order
  • -          Police does nothing
  • -          Husband comes to her home with a knife and stabs her repeatedly, slices her kneck, while having their son in his arms and the office just watching and stopping the people who did try to help her

Donna Yaklich
  • -          Married to a police officer
  • -          Beats her all the time
  • -          She tries going to the police but they protect him due to the “Code of Silence”
  • -          She hires hit man to kill

Tina Turner
  • -          Married to Ike Turner who constantly beat her
  • -          Tried to run and he found her every time
  • -          She did eventually get away but it took years

All this women tried to get away from their husbands and look at their outcomes: Donna Yaklich went to jail because no one would help her. Tracy Thurman is alive but paralyzed. Tina Turner is the only who semi got away free.  I feel like these woman do what they have to do to survive and try the outlets that they know of for help. I am not saying that murdering is wrong, but in these cases and in the case of Evelyn Humphrey’s I do not think they should get jail time.  All these women try to do is protect themselves, why wait for their only justice to be after their murder, like Theresa Taylor?  It is like asking whose life should be spared; the victims or the serial murderer? 
          
  As stated before I did not get a lot of information about Humphrey’s, but I did read that she said that her Hampton took the same gun the night before and shot it at her.  I wonder why she didn’t have the epiphany to kill him them.  Her plea for self-defense would have been a stronger one for sure.  But if she did truly suffer from BWS then like I said she should not be punished for she has already endured punishment by the hands of Hampton.

Tell me what your open is on this situation

Loves and likes ya <3
Gigi

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