interestedinMAFS

Hi. New here, but the discussion of David's possible arrest record got me interested enough to post instead of just read. About 12 years ago, my brother in law was arrested and tried for domestic violence charges. He REFUSED to plead guilty (because he wasn't) and instead took his case to a jury. Had he pled guilty, it would have been to the charges similar to David's. He was advised by his attorney to plead guilty because people would "never" believe he wasn't guilty and the "best" thing was to plead guilty, pay a small fine, and attend domestic violence classes...simple and done. A bit of background. My BIL is over 6 feet and runs around 200. His now ex-wife is tiny...around 5'2" and weighs maybe 100 pound soaking wet. She was a complete and utter nut case, as I personally witnessed over the years. She would extinguish her cigarettes ON my BIL's arm (yes, that's true). She was verbally abusive. She was psychotic as hell (a total nut job) and would turn on a dime from sweet and innocent to the most evil witch you can conjure up. I do believe she had mental health issues. It all came to a head one night when they had a verbal altercation, started by her (according to BIL) and he decided she was escalating and that the safest course of action was to leave the home. So he did. She JUMPED on his back to stop him from leaving. He "shrugged" her off, and she fell, breaking a bone in her arm (she has brittle bone disease). She said "give me a divorce and all the $$$ and the house or I will accuse you of domestic violence." He left. She had him arrested. A jury deliberated for less than 10 minutes after hearing her testify, him testify and numerous witnesses to her abusive behavior over the years. The believed HIM not her. And, he was acquitted. But, there it is on his record that he was charged with domestic violence. Never before. Never since. Never. Yet, it haunts him even though he was found "not guilty." The only thing he was guilty of was having the bad sense to marry her. She was just completely wacky....for years. Thank goodness he didn't plead, or everyone would "assume" that he must have done something horrible to her. He didn't. I am no apologist for domestic violence offenders, but he WAS innocent! Who knows what happened with David? Honestly, unless you were there, you don't know what happened or didn't happen with David. All I can tell you is that people DO make up claims of domestic violence.