Listen . . . or else!

Shannon Burke is back in the news. Thankfully, nobody was shot.

Many domestic violence advocates are dismayed at the tasteless imagery that he has chosen to use in order to attract listeners (and presumably, more advertisers & money). I am also astonished that a Christian radio station would endorse such imagery, particularly with Burke's history of domestic violence, animal cruelty, and firearm charges.

Why would someone who professed to be a changed man (see earlier blogs on Burke's repentance) want to perpetuate this "bad boy" image? In his interview with WKMG, Burke reports that his has been sober 21 months. I applaud his efforts in that battle.

A domestic violence advocate contacted Carl Como, owner of the radio station, with her complaint. He told her:

• She must be one of those women who'd had a bad experience with a man.
• That before Shannon shot his wife and her dog, it had been over two years since he'd beaten a woman and he deserved another chance.

I encourage you to let Carl know what you think of his stance on the subject. Email him here. Or you can call him at 407-774-8810.

As Chief Judge Belvin Perry once said at a sentencing hearing I monitored, "I often hear from defendants who find Jesus when they're in jail. It's too bad that when they get out, they leave Him there."

UPDATE 2/3/11: Shannon Burke billboard comes down

UPDATE 2/11/11: New "billboard" on Burke's facebook page

Two More Months

Judge Faye Allen took two more months of freedom away from Shannon Burke at Friday's Reckless Driving (Alcohol Related) Violation of Probation hearing in Orange County. These two months will be served after he completes his agreed upon six month sentence for the Animal Cruelty & Discharging a Firearm case in Seminole County.

In monitoring the several hearings related to the Orange County case, CourtWatch found Judge Allen to be thorough and attentive at all times. We were concerned that after the December appearance, where numerous witnesses testified about the sincerity of Burke's having turned away from  alcohol, that any sentence she might impose would be concurrent to (that is, served alongside instead of after) the 6 month sentence in Seminole County.

Prosecutor Crystal Segui was vigorous in her handling of the case. Her arguments were convincing and well presented. Mark O'Mara, Counsel for Mr. Burke, handled his legal issues quite well.

CourtWatch is pleased to know that Judge Allen chose to hold him accountable for violating the terms of his Orange County probation.

We believe that Friday's consecutive sentence sends a strong message to Mr. Burke that the judge was not pleased with his having committed such a serious offense in Seminole County after he had been treated leniently on an alcohol-related charged just a few months earlier.

It never ceases to amaze me how many crimes of violence are committed after alcohol has been consumed. It is not unusual to hear in court that defendants and/or victims were drinking when their offense occurred.

We sincerely hope that Burke continues to aggressively pursue a life that is 100% free of alcohol. And even though it was not court-ordered, we hope he will enroll himself in a Batterer's Intervention Program to address the attitudes that led him to threaten to shoot, and subsequently pull the trigger on, his wife's dog and accidentally shoot his wife.

Alcohol abuse didn't cause Burke to threaten his wife and her dog. A deep-seated attitude of power & control is responsible. Alcohol merely lessened any inhibitions that would have enabled him to control himself. Being alcohol-free won't make him stop any future abusive behavior.

One Down, One to Go - The Shannon Burke Saga

Shannon Burke's plea deal in Seminole County on November 20th doesn't surprise me in the least. In the nearly three years I've been courtwatching, I've seen hundreds of cases either dropped or have minimal sentences when the victim does not want to help prosecutors hold their batterers accountable for breaking the law.

Believe it or not, his sentence is more severe than most. And it focuses on his assault to the dog (breed is pictured here), not on his treatment of his wife. Click here to review the evidence photos.

Catherine Burke was initially gung-ho about prosecuting her husband. But as is often the case, he is working very hard to redeem himself in her (as well as the public's) eyes, and she has decided to give him a second chance. It is a terribly difficult thing for those who've never walked in the shoes of a victim of domestic violence to comprehend - particularly when she almost lost her life. But as a survivor myself, I understand the numerous factors that go into influencing victims to give their partner another chance.

To recap, Burke pled to one count of Using a Firearm While Under the Influence of Alcohol and one count of Animal Cruelty. The charge of violating the conditions of pretrial release on the domestic violence case was dropped. He will be required to serve 6 months in jail (he must turn himself in by December 31st to begin serving), 3 years probation, and 100 hours of community service at an animal shelter. In addition to continuing his current counseling, Burke must attend one AA meeting each week and complete a firearm safety class.

All in all, it's a good sentence for a first-time offense (though there was another similar offense of discharging a firearm with a different woman for which he was never arrested). It's much tougher than most I see (which is a sad testament about our criminal justice system). Most first-timers have adjudication withheld, which means that if they successfully complete their probation, they are not considered a convicted felon.

I am disappointed, however, that the State did not require him to complete the 26 week Batterer's Intervention Program. The counseling he is currently doing will hopefully deal with the issues of power & control.

I am also disappointed that Judge Marlene Alva will permit Burke to participate in the Work Release Program if he qualifies. I hope his new radio gig, where he has bought his own air time, does not qualify as a "job" for Work Release purposes.

One down.

One to go.

Burke is scheduled for his Violation of Probation hearing on a 2007 DUI charge in Orange County next month. There are two hearing dates set - 12/4 and 12/14 - and we're not certain yet exactly when it'll happen. But we'll be keeping a watchful eye on it.

By the way, once it was all over in court on Friday, did anyone notice the Sentinel mention that Shannon asked his wife to fix him meatloaf for dinner Friday night? Seems to me he's the one that ought to be fixing dinner for her after all that he put her through.

"Lie to Me"

Stunned and speechless. That's how I felt when Catherine Burke told WESH Reporter Dave McDaniel that victims of domestic violence should keep their abuse a secret. CourtWatch commends WESH for seeking comments from Carol Wick of Harbor House in order to balance the dangerous message that Mrs. Burke expressed. Because it is only when domestic violence is brought to light that abusers and victims can get the help they need to break the cycle of abuse. Far too many victims fail to seek help with law enforcement and the courts because they fear they will not be protected from their abuser. Judge Marlene Alva is, in our opinion, doing a superb job of making Mrs. Burke's safety a priority. But this case highlights the not uncommon situation that prosecutors of domestic violence face daily - that of a recanting victim.

If you've ever watched "Lie to Me" on Fox, you'll be familiar with the practice of deception detection by comparing our microfacial expressions and body language with what we actually say. Susan Constantine is a body language expert here in Central Florida. I asked her to review the Burke interviews.

Regarding Catherine's interview on WESH, Ms. Constantine provided the following assessment:

• Mrs. Burke shows sadness in all regions of the face. The forehead shows distress, her eyebrow angles up in the inner corners, and down on the sides. The mouth's outer corners are slightly turned down in sadness. It is my opinion she is dealing with sadness and anxiety. Anxiety is shown in the shifting of the eyes back and forth from side to side, rapidly. She is vulnerable, lonely, and insecure. What I don't see is anger. She warns women "not to" report domestic violence because the system is prohibiting her from having contact with her husband. She does not show anger with the system or the judge. If she were angry, her voice, and facial expressions would have been presented "as anger" (horizontal tight lips and eyelids would have narrowed with lower lid tightened). Therefore, her words and body language were incongruent. She is a target for repeat violence because she does not see what Shannon did as domestic violence.  [emphasis mine]  The battered wife syndrome causes one to soften the blow with soft words and voice to ward off the intruder (being the press) and, at the same time, she is manipulating the public opinion with her soft tone to protect her husband.
  
• She says she was not abused, then leans forward with an affirmative while nodding her head yes. This is an emblem. An emblem is a body movement gesture that has a universal meaning in the US. When she says she was not abused, she nods her head yes when it should have shook no. She was not confident that she convinced the reporter because she leans in to convince the reporter with an affirmative indicating she was not fearful.
  
• She stated "IF (meaning she was) I was abused, and I was not, but IF (meaning she was) I was" (at this time the corners of mouth went down in sadness). She does not believe her own story.

Here's FOX's version of Catherine's interview.

Regarding Shannon's FOX35 interview with Amy Kaufeldt:

• His 3 corner leg stance is one of confidence. His left arm is stretched over the sofa in the direction of the reporter (this is a non-verbal hug of wanting approval). His body language betrays him with his right hand. He leaves his right hand placed near his groin, and is not visibly out front in an open body posture. The right hand is hidden as if he got his hand caught in the cookie jar (a "hiding something back" gesture).
  
• Shannon shoulder shrugs often. This is an emblem too. If he shrugged at the same time as saying "I don't know" this would have been believable although, he shrugs when his words are not consistent with his words "deceptive." He has a lot of anxiety.
  
• The most telling is when he was asked if he was dangerous. He answers a question with a question. "Have you ever known me to be dangerous?" This is a rhetorical devise of "deception." He should have said "no."  He does not take ownership for his actions [emphasis mine] and uses another rhetorical device called "petty fogging" when he says this. One side corner of his mouth goes unilateral.  This is "contempt" (moral superiority and duping delight gesture - this happens when he thinks he has pulled one over on you). The facial gesture appears and then he used a "petty fogging" rhetorical device again by diverting the audience away from the issues at hand to present himself in a positive light when shifting to telling the audience he fixed a clock at the park with his child.
  
• In my opinion, the judge made a good decision to keep them separated until they go through more counseling.

Susan, I second that opinion.

The Remaking of Shannon Burke

It seems as though Burke is doing everything a media consultant would recommend in order to get back in the good graces of the public, as well as the good graces of his former employer, Real Radio 104.1.

I googled his name and found his picture (including his dog) prominantly displayed on a blog he started and posted to a few times after his release from Seminole County jail. It makes him look like a real animal lover. Well, maybe his dog. Not Catherine's dog.

Link to Burke's Interview on 104.1 (40 minutes)

Let me just say that it's far too easy for abusers to blame alcohol for their behavior. I guess it's more socially acceptable to be an alcoholic than it is to be a batterer. So he was more than willing to talk about his alcohol consumption.

Not once did I hear the words "domestic violence" mentioned, although Philips alluded to a possible "anger management" problem. I heard Burke complaining about how it seems as though everyone has forgotten all the great things he's done for charity and how the media has handled the case (though he did admit that if it had been someone else, he would likely be offering his opinion, as he did about the Casey Anthony case). I didn't hear anything that sounded remotely like an apology. He closed with an emotional discourse about how he misses his radio family and he hopes they'll forgive him.

Dale Kay Lillak, M.S. states "domestic violence is not caused by the use or abuse of alcohol, methamphetamines, cocaine, or any mood altering substance. These problems do occur separate from one another. The severity of violence tends to escalate when people are under-the-influence."

Burke's next court appearance at the Criminal Justice Center in Sanford (case 2009-CF-002149-A) is scheduled for Friday, September 18th at 9:00am in Courtroom 5B. A Motion to Modify Conditions of Release was filed on 8/24. The public, as always, is welcome to attend. It's been reported that in addition to having more access to his wife, he doesn't want to have to wear the GPS monitor anymore.

His next court appearance in Orange County (for violating his DUI probation by being arrested in Seminole), is not posted on the Clerk's website (case 2007-CT-0001034-E).

Finally, if you want to have a chuckle, check out his comments about the Casey Anthony case long before his own legal troubles began.

Shannon Burke's Repentance

I am a firm believer in the argument that God can change a repentant heart. But I also believe that it is wise for a victim of domestic violence to take a significant amount of time (a year perhaps?) before letting their abuser back in the home. It is so easy to believe that the person you love means it when they say they're sorry. And I honestly believe they're genuinely sorry. But "sorry" doesn't mean that the abuse won't happen again. That's where repentance comes in.

Repentance is more than just feeling regret about one's behavior. It means that one turns from sin and dedicates themselves to amending their life. The evidence of genuine repentance is something that has to be seen over a long period of time - not just a few weeks. And it requires the abuser to be willing to be transparent with those who are holding him/her accountable for their behavior. Finally, their intimate partner cannot serve as their accountability partner.

I am concerned for Catherine Burke's safety during this period. Fox35 News reported yesterday Shannon Burke Seeks Reconciliation. It is far too convenient for Burke to blame alcohol for the incident that landed him in jail. Attending AA for 100 days is commendable, and I hope he continues in the program. But it's the tip of the iceburg and it does nothing to address the issue of power & control that is the root cause of domestic violence.

PASCH (Peace And Safety in the Christian Home) is a wonderful organization that deals with educating the faith community about the issue of domestic violence. I hope and pray that the Burkes' marriage counselor is familiar with the dynamics of DV and how religion and faith are sometimes used as a smokescreen that abusers use to get back in their partner's good graces. I'll also reiterate something I wrote after the July hearing when Judge Alva granted contact - both parties need to have individual counseling.

I would hate to add Catherine Burke's name to the list of DV homicides in our community.

Domestic Violence & Animal Abuse in Orange County

The Orange County Domestic Violence Task Force (OCDVTF) meets each month at the courthouse to exchange ideas, network with member agencies, and discuss ways to address the issue of DV in our community.

At today's meeting, a fascinating presentation by Orange Co Animal Services (OCAS) was on the agenda. The Shannon Burke case in Seminole County has spotlighted the correlation between DV and animal abuse in a dramatic fashion. But prior to the Burke shooting incident, Harbor House and OCAS were working on a collaborative effort to train Animal Services' officers to look for signs of DV when investigating cruelty, neglect and abandonment cases. I was astounded to learn that:

• Up to 75% of domestic violence victims report that their partners threatened or killed family pets
• 48% of victims delay leaving an abusive home because they do not have a safe place for their pets
• One million animals per year are abused or killed in connection with domestic violence nationally
• 32% of pet-owning victims of DV reported that their child had hurt or killed a pet (this statistic demonstrates with chilling vividness how DV is a learned behavior)
• Animal abusers are 5 times more likely to commit violent crimes against people
• Animal abusers are 4 times more likely to commit property crimes
• 70% of animal abusers had records for other crimes

There were 4,106 animal cruelty, neglect and abandonment investigations in Orange County last year. This year's trend is showing a 15% increase over last year. OCAS began partnering with Crimeline earlier this year, resulting in abuse & neglect reports tripling in the first month of the partnership.

Orange County Animal Services and Harbor House are working to build an animal shelter on-site at Harbor House. The goal is to remove the barrier for victims who remain in an abusive situation because they know their abuser will harm their pet. OCAS is also working on a program to provide transportation for animals when victims seek shelter at Harbor House for themselves and their children - something that no other organization in the country provides. To support this worthwhile endeavor, please contact Harbor House.

Investigation of animal abuse is often the first point of social services intervention for a family in trouble. Statistically, 80% of homes with abused pets also had investigations by child welfare agencies due to reports of physical abuse and neglect. It is therefore crucial for all of us to report suspected animal abuse and neglect.

Kudos to Judge Marlene Alva

The Sentinel reports that Shannon Burke was granted permission by Circuit Judge Marlene Alva to participate in marriage counseling with his wife Catherine. But Judge Alva refused to give the couple unlimited contact. She ruled that the former radio personality may talk to his wife during marriage counseling sessions but at no other time. Alva also refused his request to order the removal of Burke's GPS tracking device.

It is not uncommon for a victim to request contact, and even undergo marriage counseling, with their spouse - even after a serious assault.

I hope that the therapist that the Burkes meet with is thoroughly trained in the dynamics of domestic violence. And I hope that they each engage in individual counseling:

• Shannon: to understand and change his attitude about the reasons why he felt it was acceptable to use a gun to threaten his wife; and
• Catherine: to develop a comprehensive safety plan.

CourtWatch applauds Judge Alva's efforts to keep the victim safe.

Shannon Burke Gets Another Chance

Local news organizations reported Saturday that Catherine Burke, the wife of radio host Shannon Burke, now calls the shooting in which she came within a fraction of an inch of being a domestic violence fatality, an accident. The Sentinel reports that she still loves him and is committed to the relationship. Click here for WKMG's report.

There are several comments posted on the Setinel's website that viciously attack her. I can only surmise that they were written by people who have never walked a mile in the shoes of someone who is a victim of domestic violence.

Most people have difficulty understanding the reasons why victims stay in these relationships. When you're on the outside looking in, it's very easy to say "dump the bum." And when the victim chooses not to, she is judged and criticized by those who know little to nothing about the dynamics of DV relationships. The reasons that victims stay are as numerous as the victims themselves. They are complex and very individualized. They fall into a blend of the following "F" reasons:

• Fear: Victims often fear that their abuser will become more violent and could kill them and/or their children; they fear losing the children (custody battle or abduction); they fear lonliness; they fear the difficulties of being a single parent; they fear that the legal system won't protect them; they fear what people will think when the relationship falls apart.
• Finances: Victims often have no employment or income; abusers often control all the money or they've ruined their partner's credit rating. In the first year following a divorce, a woman's standard of living declines by 73% while a man's increases by 42%.
• Fantasy: Victims believe their abuser's promises to change; they still love the "Prince Charming" that he is capable of being; they want to have an intact family and believe it's best for the children to stay together; they believe they're responsible for the success or failure of the relationship; and there may be more good times than bad. They loved this person enough to marry them - you can't just decide one day to stop loving someone you've been with for a long time.
• Family: Victims are often isolated from family/friends or they feel pressured by their family to maintain an appearance of a happy marriage.
• False Beliefs: Sometimes victims have "learned" to be helpless - believing that they are incompetent and unable to function on their own; sometimes they blame themselves for their abuser's behavior and think that if they would just stop making mistakes, the abuse would stop.
• Faith: Victims often turn to their faith leader as the first cry for help. Sadly many clergy are clueless about how to respond - they're more focused on "saving" the marriage than they are the safety of the person who needs help. So they (wrongly) advise them to stay and submit to their husband. Victims also feel required to forgive their batterer (either because they've been taught that God expects it).

This only scratches the surface. There are many more reasons that victims stay, including immigration issues, low self-esteem, lack of community resources, etc.
Mrs. Burke has made her decision at this point to try to salvage the relationship. She believes that her husband is trying and that he has embraced God and is making dramatic changes in his life. I hope that's true. Because only God has the power to bring about the changes in attitude and behavior that can repair their relationship. I only fear that, as in so many DV cases, Mr. Burke's repentance may be superficial. A genuine change will take months, if not years, to become evident. I hope and pray Catherine can remain strong and that Shannon finds accountability partners to keep him on the right path.

Shannon Burke Gets More Concessions

Sometimes our legal system frightens me. It should frighten all of us when it lets someone who has demonstrated that they're a risk to either the general public or their victim's safety have fewer restrictions on their freedom.

Shannon Burke, once again, convinced the judge to go easier on him. First he got bond granted (after violating his original conditions of release by violating the "no contact" order). Now the judge is permitting him to do out-patient drug treatment instead of going to a residential program (see Orlando Sentinel article at http://tinyurl.com/ndwlk5).

Is he getting preferential treatment because of his "celebrity" status? Or is it because he's got a good privately retained lawyer? It's hard to say. I do know that he was previously diagnosed as a sociopath/narcissist. Perhaps he's just working the system.

Finally, I'd like to know if his victim's wishes were taken into account at today's hearing. I am appalled that the judge is enabling Mr. Burke to gradually undo our community's ability to closely supervise him.

Media Coverage of Burke Didn't Tell the Whole Story

Since posting my thoughts about Burke's bond hearing on this forum, I've come to the conclusion that there are two things out there re-victimizing Shannon Burke's victim in this situation. The Court System and the Media.

My conjecturing about Mrs. Burke's apparent approval of the deal was based upon her presence in the courtroom. I see victims endure tremendous pressures in these situations, and they very often refuse to participate in the prosecution. Many victims attend these hearings to be a witness on behalf of their abuser. Sometimes they want the relationship to work out and are willing to give their partner another chance. Sometimes they're so intimidated that there will be future retribution that they do "cave in" to their partner's pressure. Sometimes they just want their partner to get help (psych, drug, alcohol, etc.) in the hopes that he'll get better & will be the charming, loving man they know he is capable of being. There are as many reasons why a victim doesn't vigorously work to put her batterer in jail as there are victims. It's not our place to criticize the victim's decisions. We should, instead, focus our attention upon the perpetrator's behavior.

Only WFTV aired a (too) brief comment that Mrs. Burke was not in favor of the stipulated agreement. I don't know if her attorney provided an on camera interview to any of the reporters there, but Catherine Burke's voice (either directly or through her attorney) was not heard on Wednesday - either inside or outside the courtroom. It should have been. And it should have been emphatically reported that she was opposed to her husband's release from jail.

Which brings me to the State's role in re-victimizing this woman who almost lost her life. If she was opposed to the "deal," they absolutely should not have struck it with Burke's attorney. In this era of huge budget cuts, our prosecutors are at a distinct disadvantage when dealing with private attorneys. In addition to concerns about the expense incurred in keeping someone incarcerated, they simply don't have the time/resources to always involve all the parties concerned. In this case, neither of the other women who filed injunctions against Burke immediately after this crime were notified, much less consulted, when the State was negotiating with Burke's attorney. Their lives, and those of their children, are also potentially at risk. Legally speaking, they were not victims in this case and therefore the State is not required to contact them. But an adequately funded prosecutor's office that has sufficient advocates to keep victims safe would (hopefully) be concerned about their well-being too. Because an Assistant State Attorney's pay is often not sufficient to pay student loans and keep a roof over one's head, many of our best young prosecutors and public defenders quickly move into private practice, leaving a new crop of young, usually inexperienced lawyers to keep our community safe. The defense attorneys know this and work it to their advantage.
Catherine Burke had a right to address the judge at the bond hearing. In reviewing the video footage, I did not hear the prosecutor mention that she wanted to address the Court. I did not hear Judge Alva ask if she wanted to address the Court. She was available in the courtroom. I do not know if she wanted to say something, but she should have been asked.

To reduce the charges to "Shooting Into Occupied Dwelling" from Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon (when it possibly could have been charged as Attempted 2nd Degree Murder) is an insult to Mrs. Burke and to domestic violence victims everywhere. It minimizes her husband's behavior and sends the message that what he did wasn't worthy of more vigorous prosecution. I will be surprised if Shannon Burke sees the inside of a jail cell again as a result of this incident. I fear that another, more violent one, is in his future.

Click here to see what rights the Florida Statutes afford to victims of crime.

Shannon Burke Gets Bond

It's puzzling to me that the two other women who filed injunctions against Burke after he shot his wife were not contacted by the State's Attorney, nor were they consulted about the agreement made at today's hearing in Seminole County that allows Burke to get out on bond. Even though his wife Catherine is the victim in this case, their safety (and that of their children) should not be disregarded.

In fact, the most serious charge of Aggravated Battery w/Deadly Weapon was changed to Shooting Into Occupied Dwelling. An inch or less in the wrong direction, and Mrs. Burke would be just another name on CourtWatch's DV Fatality List for 2009. It sounds to me as if the State believes Burke's story that it was an accident (even though it is alleged in his wife's petition for injunction that he replaced the magazine in his pistol after it failed to fire the first time). Or maybe they think they can't prove more than that. In any case, I'd be surprised if he gets any real jail time after this.

Perhaps his wife has caved in to pressure from Burke and isn't prepared to participate in prosecuting her husband criminally. Perhaps, as is often the case, she just wants him to get the alcohol/drug counseling/treatment that she hopes will "cure" him. I sincerely hope that the treatment that was ordered today helps. But he still needs counseling about his need to exert power and control over his partner. The State should have made a BIP (Batterer's Intervention Program) after he gets out of the the in-patient program part of the deal .

Video of Burke's appearance before Judge Marlene Alva may be viewed at http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/5/27/shannon_burke_returns_to_court_today.html

His wife's Petition for Injunction may be viewed at http://courtwatchflorida.org/uploads/Burke_Petition_for_Injunction.pdf

Burke's Bond Revoked

Despite the fact I've spent in excess of 2000 hours watching court (mostly in Orange County), today was the first day I went to watch Initial Appearances in Seminole County. The case, of course, was that of Shannon Burke - the deejay that shot his wife & dog last week and within 24-48 hours of his release from custody, violated the terms of his release by having a friend go to his home, attempt to use a key Burke had given him to gain access - all to allegedly retrieve some of Burke's personal belongings. This qualifies as "indirect contact," which was forbidden by the Court.

We crowded into a dark, standing room only observation area that held only 15 seats. As we waited for the proceedings to commence, one member of the public, when learning that the crowd was there for the Burke case, joked that Burke was a "good shot - he got two birds with one stone." This boneheaded remark was met with nervous laughter from some of his companions. I was too stunned to speak my mind at that moment.

The speaker system in that room was barely functional (it is apparently obsolete & replacement parts are not available - no doubt that it will not be replaced anytime soon because of budget woes). It was incredibly difficult for members of the public to follow the proceedings because of the sound problems. Judge John Woodard appeared via a large screen monitor which ceased to function for a few minutes. I was amazed at one court interpreter who simultaneously translated into Spanish AND Italian for three defendants. I was also impressed with the excellent assistance provided by court personnel for the members of the media.

Most of all, I was glad to see that the judge was not swayed by Richard Hornsby's attempts to convince him that his client was not a danger to Mrs. Burke. Mike Rathel, Mrs. Burke's private counsel, appeared on her behalf to emphasize the terror she feels as a result of both the shooting and last night's visit by Burke's friend to her home. As Judge Woodard announced that he was revoking Burke's bond, Mr. Hornsby's jaw dropped open and his expression was one of a deer in the headlights.

After the hearing concluded, there was a media frenzy as Mr. Rathel was interviewed. He handled their questions with answers that indicated he has a good, working knowledge of the dynamics of domestic violence. I was amazed that nobody asked a question about the dog until he mentioned that the dog had been re-injured as a result of last night's activities.

It's great when the System does its job.

Shannon Burke - Is he a loose cannon?

From reading the media coverage and talking with local experts, it is apparent to this CourtWatcher that Edward Shannon Burke's "accidental" discharge of a .40 cal pistol, hitting his wife and her dog, was no "accident." A direct correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence has been made by the experts, and this is a classic example of it. Tragically, this kind of abuse often extends to children as well.

The Humane Society lists the following as reasons why batterers abuse/threaten/kill pets:

To demonstrate and confirm power and control over the family.
To isolate the victim and children.
To eliminate competition for attention.
To force the family to keep violence a secret.
To teach submission.
To retaliate for acts of independence and self-determination.
To perpetuate the context of terror.
To prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her/him to return.
To punish the victim for leaving.
To degrade the victim through involvement in the abuse.

Click here for more info about animal abuse and domestic violence.

Three women have now been granted temporary injunctions against this man. That fact alone should tell everyone, even his devoted fans, that he has abusive (power & control) tendencies.

Burke had previously been prohibited from having unsupervised contact with his children. One more indicator that he is a dangerous man.

I applaud these women for doing everything in their power to protect themselves and their children. But an injunction is only one part of a safety plan. I tell people all the time that it is not bulletproof. If the perpetrator is not afraid of the criminal justice system, or if they feel they have nothing to lose, no piece of paper in the world will keep you safe. The most dangerous abuser is one who thinks that life is no longer worth living and they become suicidal. Burke has now lost his job at Real Radio 104.1 (WTKS is a station whose website does little more than objectify women by sponsoring bikini contests) and his reputation. He's lost his home (at least for the time being) and his wife has filed for divorce. He's being monitored by Orange County for alcohol consumption in their VOP (Violation of Probation) case. A GPS device has been ordered in the Seminole County case. So even though he's out of jail, he's lost a significant amount of freedom. I suspect he scores off the charts on lethality assessments.

I hope the Seminole State's Attorney upgrades the charges from Aggravated Battery w/Deadly Weapon to Attempted Murder. If, after pulling the trigger and getting no response from your weapon, you eject the pistol's magazine, insert a new one, and pull the trigger again, the State should charge you with attempted murder.

Ultimately a jury will have to decide, unless the State cuts him a plea deal. And even though there was only one victim relating to this May 1st shooting incident, I hope and pray the State's Attorney will keep the other victims apprised of any developments in the case. Call it a "fatality prevention" measure.

PS: I suspect Casey Anthony is glad for the media respite.