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DA drops domestic-violence charge against Bruins player after wife declines to testify
By adamg on Fri, 02/16/2024 - 11:28am
The Suffolk County District Attorney's office today dropped a charge of assault and battery on a family member against Boston Bruins Milan Lucic, just as his trial was set to start, after his wife, the alleged victim, told prosecutors she would not testify, and a judge ruled prosecutors could not introduce a recording of a 911 call in which the woman did not identify her attacker and the 911 operator did not ask.
In a statement, James Borghesani, spokesman for the DA's office, said:
After the victim invoked privilege, and our motion to admit 911 call information into evidence was denied, we determined that we could no longer prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. This situation is something prosecutors encounter quite often in matters involving domestic violence charges. We handled this case exactly as we would any other presenting a similar set of circumstances.
WCVB has more on the 911 call.
Lucic was initially charged in November.
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 Complete nolle prosequi filing | 16.75 KB |
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Comments
This is a pretty common occurrence
Victims in these cases often refuse to cooperate after making the initial 911 call/statements police. The DA can't prove this case under the rules of evidence without the 911 call.
Hang Them Up Looch
You don't hit a woman. That's it. We know you are guilty.
You hit people like Ulf Samuelson (I know he's retired, yet still) Matt Tkachuk, and Nazim Kadri, not your wife.
Also, for all of you screaming that he isn't prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, then go protest for all the other crimes that get broomed at BMC by people who don't have their name on a Stanley Cup.
John, as a fellow Bruins fan, can you just not?
No one should hit anyone. Period.
Samuelson?
If there are exceptions to every rule. He's it.
Nazis too. They should be hit.
Enough with the edge lord bit
Yes, we hate Ulf for what he did to Cam.
No, you really don't need it brought up alongside domestic violence.
Plenty of threads here where a call to violence has been admonished by you, the exceptions seem to be whatever you decide.
But fine, you can punch fascists.
Sadly not uncommon
This is just getting more attention because it happened to someone famous. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for domestic assault victims to refuse to testify whether out of fear or for other reasons. Without testimony from either the victim or other witnesses, or some other corroborating evidence, it's impossible to successfully prosecute such a case.
Frustrating
It's extremely frustrating. People are trying to help this woman and she's actually getting in their way. If she doesn't want help,she shouldn't call 911.
People should always call 911!
It's too bad she isn't willing to cooperate on the now dropped prosecution, but people should always call 911 if they think they are unsafe. Somebody being hit by a partner is always at risk, should always ask for immediate help, whether or not they decide to ultimately pursue further action.
Bold choice, your victim-blaming
If you knew anything at all about domestic violence, you would know that it erodes the victims' abilities to help themselves or fully accept help. That's a fundamental part of it. And when someone calls 911 -- out of fear for their life and well-being -- it is absurd to think that they would be able to stop, predict the future, and make a critical decision about whether or not they'll feel able to testify down the line. And then hang up and continue being beaten if the answer is no.
You have no idea
We have no idea - what her life is like, what her migration status is, who she may be protecting, how badly she has been gaslighted, what threats she finds credible, how much she got lovebombed until next time. None.
Never ever ever blame the victim. What you see as her "getting in the way" is an absolutely classic symptom of vicitimization.
We can only hope that this scumbag has a dream date with a skate blade and "no body knows how it happened". In the meantime, don't judge her for being in a situation that you don't understand.
After that commercial he did
After that commercial he did in the north end, I thought he’d be the next gronk. Loveable oaf type that wrecked it on the ice.
Hope him and his wife get the help they each need.
The good news
Is that this piece of (expletive) plays a sport with sticks and hitting.
Here's to hoping he gets his justice on the ice.
Nah
He's never going to be on the ice again (at least, not in the NHL). He's in the NHL player assistance program til the end of the year and then there's no way anyone signs him after that.