"Victimless" Domestic Violence case results in 5 year sentence

The number one reason that perpetrators of domestic violence and sexual assault are not held accountable for their crimes is because victims decline to prosecute them. Most of the time, these offenses do not have outside witnesses that can testify to the assault. But the State Attorney, when they have enough evidence, will proceed without the victim's assistance.

CourtWatch congratulates Assistant State Attorney Lorraine DeYoung for a superb job in prosecuting Larry Price this week. Mr. Price was charged with Attempted 1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Battery (Great Bodily Harm), False Imprisonment, Battery (2 counts), and Resisting Officer Without Violence as a result of a June 27, 2009 assault on his ex-girlfriend.

By using photos of the victim's injuries, the 911 calls made by the victim's daughter, and law enforcement's testimony of what they witnessed at the scene, Ms. DeYoung constructed a case that will put this offender behind bars for the next five years. He was convicted on the lesser charge of Felony Battery. Because he is a prison release reoffender, he will serve every single day of that five years.

Mr. Price attempted to convince the jury that it was a case of mutual combat. I suspect that his lack of injuries at the time, the gruesome photos of the injuries the victim sustained to her head (showing two large gashes that bled profusely with substantial swelling), combined with the frying pan in the front yard conviced the jury otherwise.

This is a wonderful example of what our court system is capable of accomplishing when a victim is too terrified to participate in prosecuting their abuser. Kudos to Ms. DeYoung.