Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, September 11, 1995 TAG: 9509110019
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KIMBERLY N. MARTIN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
As a child, he watched as his mother was brutalized by men, he said in a news conference last week. He also said his wife had been battered in a previous relationship.
That's why, if voters send him to Richmond in January, passing new domestic violence legislation will be his second priority. Helping Gov. George Allen implement his programs is his first.
"We have to make the home safe," said Artis, who is running against Del. Victor Thomas, D-Roanoke. "I don't want people to think I'm out for revenge or something. The truth is, the laws on the books don't work."
What he's proposing is the mandatory arrest of the "primary aggressor" - the person responsible for initiating the abuse in domestic violence situations.
The legislation would require an officer to arrest the person found to be the primary aggressor, plus provide an automatic protective order for the victim. The offender would have to serve 48 hours in jail for the first offense, 72 hours for the second offense and four days for the third, plus be charged automatically with a felony. Domestic assault and battery is a misdemeanor.
Artis also proposes a mandatory capital sentence for any death resulting from domestic violence.
The mandatory arrest idea is not new. More than 14 states call for them.
In Virginia, officers can make an arrest without a warrant in cases of assault and battery against a family or household member. However, whether an arrest is made is up to the officer. And that's where Artis has a problem.
"If I got out here and Peter [Foster] and I get in a fight, one of us is going to jail," Artis said, referring to campaign manager Peter Foster. "But if I slap around my wife. I might get arrested; she might get arrested; we both might get arrested or no one might get arrested. And a crime has been committed."
But Ellen Brown, who manages TAP's Women's Resource Center, said enforcement is the problem, not the laws.
"Judges are reluctant to convict. They take the cases under advisement or divert them to treatment. ... We have the laws, but the courts are not using them," Brown said.
\ Getting involved
Want to schedule the General Assembly candidates to speak to your civic group? Want to volunteer in their campaigns? Just want information on where they stand?
Here are the telephone numbers of the campaign headquarters for the legislative candidates in our area:
For the Senate seat covering Roanoke and most of Roanoke County:
John Edwards [D]: 345-4217
State Sen. Brandon Bell [R]: 345-2355
For the House of Delegates seat covering Western Bedford County, most of Roanoke County except the Southwest precincts, Southern Botetourt County and Craig County:
Del. Richard Cranwell [D]: 342-1981
Trixie Averill [R]: 343-8076
For the House of Delegates seat covering Floyd County, most of Franklin County, part of Pittsylvania County and the Moneta precinct in Bedford County:
Claude Whitehead [D]: 489-1556
Del. Allen Dudley [R]: 483-9342
For the state Senate seat covering Montgomery County, part of Pulaski County, most of Carroll County, Galax, Grayson County and Smyth County:
State Sen. Madison Marye [D]: 268-1628
Pat Cupp [R]: 951-2141
For the state Senate seat covering Bedford, Bedford County, Lynchburg and Amherst County.
Barbara Coleman [D]: 804-846-7057
Del. Steve Newman [R]: 804-528-1461
For the House of Delegates seat covering Blacksburg, part of Christiansburg, Northern Montgomery County and eastern Giles County.
Del. Jim Shuler [D]: 953-1103
Larry Linkous [R]: 961-2608
For the House of Delegates seat covering Southeast Roanoke, Northeast Roanoke, part of Northwest Roanoke and the Peters Creek Road section of Roanoke County.
Del. Victor Thomas [D]: 345-4120
Jeff Artis [R]: 342-4526
For the House of Delegates seat covering most of Northwest Roanoke, South Roanoke, Southwest Roanoke and the Cave Spring-Hunting Hills section of Roanoke County:
Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum [D]: 344-0200
Newell Falkinburg [R]: 344-3255
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB