Topic : 10/25 Deadly Injustice

I am a professional in the mental health field and would like to encourage everyone to write to your legislators in order to make changes to the current law.  A strong argument comes directly from the mental health field and I hope many of you will use it when writing to your legislators.  It is a very basic premise that should be applied to the criminal justice setting.  In the mental health field providers are required to report instances where individuals are a danger to themselves or others.  At this point, the law allows if deemed appropriate, individuals that are found to be a threat to themselves or others are detained in a mental health facility.  This same premise should be true for violent offenders awaiting trial.  Individuals engaging in violent behavior are clearly a risk to others or themselves and should be detained until a later date, no matter if bail is set and met.  This time will allow for additional evaluation for risk and protect those at risk.  If it can be done for those that are mentally ill, it makes total sense that individuals that are a danger to others because of violent offenses should be detained as well.  So use the laws that protect individuals in the psychology setting as an argument to support the need to detain accused violent offenders.  It is a simple and clear argument.   It should be easy for legislators to see the connection and since laws have been passed previously to protect individuals in the mental health setting similar laws should pass quickly in the criminal justice field.  

I am hearing that the blame is being taken off the the man who killed caitlin and put on to an inocent woman who was abused by him???!!! Am I hearing that correctly? 

"Then, after the fact, a previous (20 years earlier) alleged violent act was to have occurred but never brought to Court because it was never filed. Was it a kidnapping, a domestic violence issue, what? And why was it never reported oifficially? I think that where the flaw is, is if a person can years later claim to have been a victim of something that occurred years earlier, and had that alleged offender been prosecuted the years earlier it may have affected the outcome of a later serious offense bond hearing. "  

You ask why it was never reported... I am thinking that fear was a huge factor for this woman induring the abuse.  There are thousands of victims of abuse who never report it "offically".   

I feel I need to also mention that sadly this kind of offence happens all over the world everyday.  An abuser goes to jail, then within hours is released only to reoffened.  Here in Canada the laws also need to change.  I work in an emergency women's shelter and see this often.  We do have a good working relationship with the police department and when the abuser is let out...on conditions I might add that say he is not to have direct nor indirect contact with the victim (a paper caitlins mum said)..so when the abuser is let out the police do call us to warn our clients and if she isn't staying with us suggests that she does.   

There is no UNKNOWN in this... there is however a known.. and that is the law faild caitlin and her family.  Plain and simple!   

To Caitlin's parents,  

I am so sorry to hear of your loss!  Your pain must be unbearable at times.  I think good for you for directing your hurt towards something productive and to help save other inocent people.  You are doing an awsome service.  Keep it up and I pray that your hard work and suffering is rewarded with "Caitlin's Law"   

Can someone let me know where to send a letter...I can't find a link or the information.  I wish there were something I could do in order to help ease the pain of this heart broken family.  I live in a little Oklahoma town also and can't even imagine something so horrible happening that close to home.  Makes you feel scared, yet opens your eyes to the fact that bad people are everywhere.   

Get writing Oklahoma!!!! 

Kelley   

   Wow.  This show really hit home.  First off, my thoughts are with Donna and her family in this difficult time.  I wish them strength and hope in their grief.  They are amazing people trying to bring some good out of this devastating tragedy.  They are such brave and wonderful people for honoring the memory of Caitlin this way, hopefully assuring that this will never happen to anyone else's family.  It really opened my eyes. 

   I am a 23 year old college student in Ohio.  I have a male friend who is starting to display controlling tendencies.  We have never been involved, but I know that he wants me to be his girlfriend.  I have made it very clear to him that I have no interest in him that way and have never done anything to lead him on, but that doesn't seem to stop him.  He calls me many times a day, he wants to know what I'm doing and who I'm with, and he even tells people "she's mine."  He works across the street from where I live, and sometimes when I walk outside to my car, he calls me to find out where I'm going.  He is much bigger and stronger than me, and often grabs me, picks me up, and carries me around.  He will even do this in front of others.  At a party recently, he picked me up and carried me into a bedroom against my will and closed the door.  He didn't try anything, but it scared me and everyone else that witnessed it.  

   I always say 'no' and 'stop' loud and many times when he acts like that or does anything I don't like, but it doesn't stop him.  He seems to want everyone to know I'm his, and will even sometimes stop me from talking to other guys by either intimidating them or picking me up and carrying me off.  He always does this jokingly, but the meaning behind it is clear; I belong to him.  He has never crossed the line, but some of my friends are concerned for my safety.  I have not been, because he hasn't hurt me, but I don't like to be alone with him, and I'm scared of him when he drinks.  I am also afraid to date because I am afraid he may interfere or threaten them. 

   This show made me reevaluate my situation.  His behavior is completely inappropriate, and if I'm scared of him, something is wrong.  I have not stopped it because he hasn't crossed the line, and I do care about him as a friend and don't want to hurt him, but if I don't stop this, some day he may hurt me.  Seeing what happened to Donna and her family made me realize that I need to stop this now, and be firm about it.  From what I know of his previous relationships, he can be controlling and jealous, and it seems he already considers me his girlfriend, even though I have been clear that we are just friends.  This behavior hasn't been going on very long (a month or two), but  I know if I let this go on, it could, and probably will, get worse.  After watching this show and thinking this, I feel that I need to go talk to my school counselors, friends, and maybe even my local police about this situation.  I also need to see what the relevant laws in Ohio are regarding this issue, so that I am fully prepared and informed on how to end this. 

   I thank Donna and her family for telling their story and making me realized that these things happen all the time and to all different kinds of people, and sometimes you don't know that someone is capable of something like this until they have a gun in your face.  I hope that this can be resolved in a way that he and I can still be friends, but I know I have to be sure this behavior stops and that I am safe and anyone I may date in the future is safe.  I am lucky that I have great friends and family who can help me through this, and I thank Donna and her family very much for telling their story and wish them the best in their lives and endeavors. 

   I cannot imagine, what they are going through right now, but they sould be commended in their efforts to change the law.  The police followed the law and did everything they could to protect Donna, but they could not prevent this from happening.  The great thing about this country is that ordinary citizens like Caitlin's family can change the laws to better serve and protect the people in their state and hopefully save another family from this kind of tragedy.  Their efforts and courage to go on national television and tell their story has undoubtedly helped many people, myself included. 

Sounds really harsh to a grieving family, have you checked out www.spiritofcaitlin.org/ ? There you will see what Cindy is doing to help.   

So sorry you feel this way :( 

I WAS LISTENING TO THE SHOW TODAY AND I, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, AM OUTRAGED.  I AM OUTRAGED ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.  I NEED THE NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES THAT DR. PHIL GAVE ON THE SHOW.  IT IS UP TO US AS OKLAHOMAN'S TO CHANGE THIS LAW SO WE ARE NOT THE NEXT FAMILY THAT IT HAPPENS TO.  I HAVE 2 BUSINESSES AND AM A MEMBER OF A LARGE CHURCH.  HENCE, I HAVE ALOT OF CONTACTS AND AM READY TO USE THEM. 

PLEASE SOMEONE GIVE ME THIS INFO. I WAS ONLY LISTENING NOT WATCHING. 

SAMI11@COX.NET