Disputes, Domestic and Otherwise....

A few entries ago I told you about the death of 21-year-old Jeffery Mario Norris-Romine. Since then Tacoma Police arrested an 18-year-old named Moises Angel Larreinaga. After further investigation of the case, today Pierce County Prosecutors announced that they would not be pressing charges in this case. It appears that what happened is both men got out of their cars armed and what occurred was self-defense. Whether or not this is actually the case is hard to say, but really there isn’t much to refute this account and if this case had gone to trial, it’s fairly safe to say there’d be enough reasonable doubt for an acquittal.

Also today Pierce County prosecutors have filed first-degree murder charges against 45-year-old Donnell Wayne Price. Around 5:00am Sunday morning Donnell’s girlfriend 39-year-old Olga Carter called the 911 because she was having an argument with Donnell. Officers responded to the scene and found the door ajar. They announced themselves and Donnell came to the door and shut and locked it. Then the officers heard screaming and kicked in the door. Then there was a single gunshot. Officers backed off and surrounded the house. Three hours later, Donnell surrendered. Upon entering the house, officers found Olga Carter dead.

Domestic disputes are probably among cop’s least favorite calls. Washington State law says that they have to arrest somebody in any domestic dispute. Despite this, they don’t always do so. Sometimes it’s as simple as telling the couple to keep it down. Other times it ends up like the situation with Donnell and Olga. You never know. A cop friend of mine said the job of a cop is simple: “Long hours of complete boredom punctuated by sudden moments of brief complete terror.” What it comes down to is that no matter who your significant other is, they aren’t worth going to jail over. And you can go to jail simply because the cops showed up. And cops are fairly sexist when it comes to these things. I had a friend whose girlfriend came over to his place, started a fight, and when the cops showed up, they arrested him and left the girl in his apartment.

Most fights simply aren’t worth the potential consequences whether it’s a road rage dispute or an argument with your wife. Ultimately most of the time it’s best to just walk away.

-Jack