First of all, God bless Michelle Hahn's children and family.
That said... these crimes are out of control.
We are seeing this type" intimate violence" murder every single week, and often we read about several domestic murders in one week and this this has become our nation's norm rather than the exception. It is a terrible time in history when reading about such atrocities are literally becoming commonplace.
As human beings, as a society, and as residents of our individual States, we must stop feeling helpless sad and shrugging our shoulders ...we must become Pro active! These VICTIMS are our sisters neighbors daughters and mothers. This is an epidemic ladies and gentlemen.
The problem of intimate violence has always existed, however the crimes are growing rather than ebbing despite our countries massive awareness campaigns concerning crimes such as domestic/ dating crimes, stalking increase. Our courts our sentencing systems for these offenders who are often chronic - are becoming more lax once again and once again our courts are in effect the eye of the storm that we are witnessing. The complacency and apathy that were commonplace years ago have returned, old attitudes resurfaced and this is what is at the very nucleus of the avalanche of so called domestic murders..
The mindset is not knew; Often an ex boyfriend decides that if he cannot have a particular women he dated no one can and he commits the ultimate act of control over her- Murder.However this road almost always starts with crimes such as threatening stalking assault and typically these crimes are committed more than once by a perpetrator of escalated violence. It has long been known that the period surrounding a break up with a volatile person or one with a history of arrests for assault, stalking either with or without restraining orders being procured against them, is a very dangerous time period.
It used to be the period following a marital separation or divorce, such as what we saw in the Nicole BrownRon Goldman murders, those anger and control issues can ferment and steep for up to a year or more, we have learned the hard way. The same crimes of so called passion which is a dangerous misnomer are happening after even very short term relationships, such as the one Michelle Hahn had with inadvertantly stumbled into with the man who ultimately killed her in a Walmart parking lot.
The two had only dated a few months before Michelle bailed out, likely having witnessed signs of controlling and stalking or perhaps even physical violence. Tragically, Michaelle was smart enough to get out; she did the right thing and yet she was murdered and her two children are now orphaned, their father having died of cancer just two years prior to their mothers violent and senseless death.
Violence murders assaults and maiming's are increasing by the day in the United States- we are clearly doing something wrong and moreover not doing many things right!
We must adopt stricter sentencing laws for first time offenders- PERIOD.
Charles Fickenstein the man who shot and killed Michelle Hahn had a history of Ten arrests for stalking and assaulting former girlfriends, yet he wasn't imprisoned for any of them - why?
I will guarantee that he was given the usual fare of first time" freebies" that most states seem to dole out as if they were parking tickets. Actually... parking tickets are treated more seriously and can have more serious outcomes in this State as they affect the State's monetary interests, whereas intimate violence is merely a commodity of trauma flesh and bone.
Bottom line? The charges are dropped nolled and plea - dealed in only the most severe assaults and even then serious felony crimes are routinely plead down to next to nothing as the end result. These deals almost always lack prison time suspended sentences are the norm nor is the convicted offender made to pay medical reimbursements or court fines such as are staples in even the most minor motor vehicle infractions!
What does this say about the way our courts view violence against women and its precursor crimes which always always follow a pattern giving a veritable heads up to law enforcement but most of all the judicial system and department of corrections?
The truth is that in many states usually the worst a man finally convicted after a multitude of arrests faces maybe a suspended sentence and or probation - And these are doled out only for the cases where the victim is severely hurt and or there has been some insane amount of stalking and breaking and entering crimes within the realm of intimate/dating violence..
Michelle Hahn Murdered By Man with Ten Stalking and Intyimate Violence Charges
Michelle Hahn shot killed in Walmart Parking lot by Man she dated briefly History of Stalking involved
