Wife-Beater Appointed Mayor One Week After Receiving Probation
| July 12th, 2006Well, it’s not like pistol-whipping your wife or firing shots in an argument with her is a big deal or anything, is it? Anyhow, the bitch was probably lying. And they’ve reconciled.
From Rocky Mountain News.com:
July 12, 2006
David Spellman, a former Black Hawk councilman who pleaded guilty to pistol-whipping his wife, will be sworn in today as mayor of the casino town.
“Our mayor had just died. We have a very small pool of eligible people,” Councilman Tom Kerr said Tuesday. “Given Dave’s years of service, it seemed the logical thing to do.”
Spellman was charged in 2005 with hitting Lynnette Hailey, his wife, repeatedly in the head with a .380-caliber handgun and firing at least three shots.
Last week, he entered a guilty plea to felony menacing and third-degree assault and received four years of probation.
Neither Spellman nor Hailey, who is the Central City city manager, was available for comment Tuesday. They have reconciled, town spokesman Chuck Ford said. [...]
The six-member council, including four people who had served with Spellman during his 19 years on the council, voted unanimously in late June to appoint him mayor.
“There was no discussion of the crime or the charges. I don’t believe for a minute that the charges were completely accurate,” said Kerr, who has known Spellman for 26 years.
“I’m not sure anyone is in possession of all of the facts,” he said. “There were inconsistencies and possible slight embellishments.”
“Appalled” is such an inadequate word, isn’t it?
Turtleheart writes:
Plus– “The behavior took place outside of council chambers,” Ford said. “He’s made a mistake, and the community believes he has learned from it.” Oh, well, as long as it took place outside of work, I guess this kind of behavior is okay. And I’d like to add, after YEARS of working in Domestic Violence advocacy– the abuser ALWAYS says he’s learned from his mistakes– well, that’s not true either… The majority of the time the abuser refuses to accept responsibility for his behavior. After all, SHE MADE him do it.
I’ll bet any money that Ford is the sort of person who prides himself on “family values” and looks down his nose at feminists and queers for our lack thereof. Curtsy: Niobium.
July 12th, 2006 at 6:56 pm
Orginally Turtleheart posted about this. I poached it from her.
I googled “black hawk, colorado” trying to find the mayor’s office address/phone number but I was unsuccessful. I then called 411 and was also unsuccessful in finding an address/phone number. The only number I received was 303.582.5221. I left a message, with my phone number, asking for the address of the mayor/city hall. If I get an answer back, I’ll post it on my page. My goal is to send a letter requesting/demanding he resign from the mayors office.
Also, I sent this link to Progressive States blog so they could post on it. Thus far, they have not.
This comment was written by Nio.Report this comment to the moderators
July 13th, 2006 at 7:22 am
When you enter a guilty plea, you are OBLIGED UNDER OATH to swear to the truth of the underlying facts.
Sure: Criminal defendants plea out all the time so “sort of” untrue facts. But this is ridiculous.
My favorite part?
““There was no discussion of the crime or the charges. I don’t believe for a minute that the charges were completely accurate,” said Kerr, who has known Spellman for 26 years.”
OK. SO if you knew him so damn well that you are sure you know what “really” happened or what “would have” happened, why the hell didn’t you stop him BEFORE HE DID IT?
I hate these quotes. Nobody EVER “thinks they would have done it”. Duh.
I notice she’s referred to as “his wife” though. Think they’re divorced now? I sure hope so.
This comment was written by Sailorman.Report this comment to the moderators
July 13th, 2006 at 8:32 am
Of course he learned from it. He learned that assaulting his wife has no meaningful consequences for him.
This comment was written by t. comfyshoes.Report this comment to the moderators
July 13th, 2006 at 10:04 am
Think they’re divorced now? I sure hope so.
No, they’ve reconciled according to news reports.
Something smells slightly fishy here, though. He ended up being convicted of third-degree assault. That’s not really consistent with beating someone with a gun and taking shots at them. Third-degree assault in Colorado is “bodily injury” and its a misdemeanor, although a serious one. And firing at someone doesn’t seem to fall under the felony menacing concept; more like attempted murder.
It’s odd that the description of the charges and the charges themselves don’t merge very well. I’m suspecting that we are missing part of the story.
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July 13th, 2006 at 7:37 pm
I find the history of these ordinances telling. Many of us in America assume they have been the law in countries like Pakistan for centuries and the ordinances only formalized the country’s existing popular beliefs and practices. Wife-Beater Appointed Mayor One Week After Receiving Probation I’ll bet any money that Ford is the sort of person who prides himself on “family values” and looks down his nose at feminists and queers for our lack thereof. Pirates of the Caribbean II and The Tradition of Racial Oppression
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July 14th, 2006 at 8:57 am
Ampersand– Its 2-3 days later and my jaw is *still* on the floor about this. Its a perfect example of how our society condones domestic violence and blames the victim. Hey, thanks for the link and blockquote, much appreciated.
t.comfyshoes– Amen to that.
This comment was written by Turtleheart.Report this comment to the moderators