To save money, Topeka repeals law against misdemeanor domestic battery

[Caeli]

In a move that is certain to stir controversy far beyond its borders, Topeka’s City Council voted yesterday to repeal the Kansas state capital’s ban on domestic battery.

The move is a purely political one: Budget cuts have compelled Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor to transfer all misdemeanor domestic battery cases to the city, which has refused to handle them due to the added cost.

Interim city manager Dan Stanley believes the ban’s repeal is exactly the sort of kick in the junk the DA’s office needs to start prosecuting domestic battery cases again.

Some 30 abuse suspects have had their charges dismissed since the dispute began, with one offender being released twice.

The so-called “decriminalization” of domestic violence has stoked the ire of many local and national organizations that feel people’s lives are being risked for a game of political chicken.

“I absolutely do not understand it,” National Coalition Against Domestic Violence executive director Rita Smith told the Kansas City Star. “It’s really outrageous that they’re playing with family safety to see who blinks first. People could die while they’re waiting to straighten this out.”

Adding insult to injury, October happens to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

While domestic abuse remains a crime in the state of Kansas, and therefore in Topeka, with no one in the city willing to foot the bill for prosecution, it is likely cases will continue to be dismissed until city and county officials agree on a resolution.

Articles with more information: Kansas City Star and Topeka Capital Journal Online

I find this sentence particularly apt: The so-called “decriminalization” of domestic violence has stoked the ire of many local and national organizations that feel people’s lives are being risked for a game of political chicken.

This is all kinds of wrong.

[Zakharra]

 I heard this on the radio this morning. This does not bode well at all.

[Empyrean]

This is seriously fucked-up.

What do they expect victims of domestic violence to do while the city and county have their pissing match? Just stay quiet? Hope the abuser magically reforms on their own?! I say we ought to cut the salaries of all the officials involved, effective immediately. That might get them off their asses to do something.

[Samael]

...That is straight out ridiculous.
How can this even fly?

[Callie Del Noire]

So who takes the blame when an abuser KILLs his\her spouse?

[Oniya]

I anticipate a civil suit if that happens.  It might be worthwhile for victims to proactively file a class action suit against the city to cover the cost of the added security measures (and/or self defense and marksmanship courses, relocation fees, etc. etc. - get creative) that they will need to protect themselves from their abusers.