Blog

Louisiana lawmakers often have tough decisions to make. However, recent events involving one of their own have left those elected officials struggling to decide the right course of action. After learning that State Senator Troy Brown had been charged with domestic abuse, some are calling for him to lose his job.

Senator Brown argues that the misdemeanors of committing violence against a woman should not disqualify him from his role. Apparently neither his wife nor his girlfriend, both of whom he is accused of assaulting, planned to testify against him before he pleaded no contest to the charges. He allegedly bit his wife during a tussle and punched his girlfriend in the face in separate incidents. The two events took place about four months apart.

While some of Brown’s colleagues are vocal about him stepping down or being expelled, the senator contends that his constituents want him to stay. Other senators say that the pattern of behavior is heinous and that Brown has shown no remorse. They recall other cases where abused women have recanted their accusations and were subsequently battered by the same man.

Those in Louisiana who face abuse by a spouse or partner may find it difficult to take legal action against their abuser. However, there are options available for their protection. Restraining orders and protective orders can be filed to formally bar one’s abuser from threatening harm or coming in contact with the victim. An attorney can help a person determine what kind of protective order would best serve the victim’s circumstances.

Source: theadvocate.com, “Sen. Troy Brown apologizes after domestic abuse case, but won’t be expelled from Senate quietly“, Mark Ballard and David Mitchell, Jan. 13, 2017