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Originally Posted by mariab
Out of pure interest about this case I tracked the woman down...I actually met her where she works....and I will talk to anyone....
Anyway....apparently there was no court hearing...he went through something called a PTI and this is not uncommon in Sumter county...
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Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) is usually available to first-time offenders, and if the terms (whatever the "sentence" is) are fulfilled, then there is no criminal record. It works somewhat like a "plea bargain," and the idea is to offer "rehabilitation" in situations where it looks like it will work. That's the good side.
The bad side is that sometimes it's more of an economic decision made by the accused, as the legal costs to obtain PTI are far less than going to trial (even if you are found not guilty, it does cost!). So, people do accept PTI as an alternative to the notoriety and costs associated with becoming a defendant in a criminal trial.
In my past work life (before this latest DC venture) I handled several spouse abuse cases, and they all sickened me. There really is no stereotypical spouse abuser (you just can't "spot them") and the intimidation factor exercised by the abuser is often immense. Also, there were a number of times the abused spouse wanted to protect the abuser out of love, fear, security....... That being said, there were a couple of cases where the supposed abused spouse was actually shamming as part of a blackmail scheme. It just takes all kinds! ! !
The moral of the story - keep your temper and don't let things escalate so far that "accidents happen."