Man convicted of domestic violence after victim arrested

Many people don’t know that victims in domestic violence cases may be forced to testify in Pennsylvania. That is what happened in one case in Maine. A woman was arrested because she refused to testify against her alleged abuser. The man was convicted of three domestic violence offenses. The woman did not want to press charges. Attorneys for the woman called her arrest an “abuse of power.” She was forced to testify by prosecutors who were worried about her safety. The woman testified about a series of domestic assaults that occurred in April 2014. The man had allegedly threatened the woman with physical violence after putting a pillowcase over her head. The two were dating at the time. He beat her with a broom handle and a belt two days later. The victim did not want to testify. Her mother called officers and medical professionals after seeing her daughter’s wounds. The defendant was already serving a lifetime term on the Maine Sex Offender Registry. He was previously convicted of ten felonies. A judge said the man had a history of dangerous behavior. He had also suffered head injuries from motorcycle accidents. Psychiatrists testified that the man understood what he was doing when he supposedly beat the woman. The man is still awaiting sentencing for his crimes, which include domestic violence: assault and domestic violence: terrorizing. An arrest for domestic violence does not always lead to severe consequences. An arrest does not mean the defendant is automatically guilty. Criminal defense attorneys can help domestic violence defendants learn more about their rights. They can also protect defendants from some questionable legal maneuvers attempted by prosecutors.