“As a society, it seems we have simply come to expect that rich and famous individuals will always find ways to get off easier in matters of crime and punishment (Weinberger 1). The latest case to prove the legal system's celebrity favoritism (Weinberger 1)? Most will quickly point to former Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice's lenient treatment in the aftermath of a vicious domestic assault on his fiancée in an Atlantic City, New Jersey casino (Weinberger 1). Despite video evidence which clearly shows Rice punching the victim with such force that she was knocked unconscious, criminal prosecutors in New Jersey allowed the NFL player to enter a pretrial intervention program (PTI) that will spare him jail time, probation and even a criminal record
…show more content…
Jane Shivas, executive director of the New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women, best summed up the Rice situation (Weinberger 1). "For a case like this to end this way is not uncommon. But it certainly is unfortunate." However, in a testimony to New Jersey's desire to protect victims of domestic violence, even before the Rice scandal broke out, measures were being taken in the New Jersey Legislature to further clarify and toughen DV laws (Weinberger 1). There is now renewed energy in seeing to it that these laws are passed. Among the proposed measures is a new rule allowing victims of domestic violence to testify via closed circuit video (Weinberger 1). This is so important because one of the primary reasons why DV cases are dropped is because the victim is afraid to testify in person” (Weinberger 1). The new bill also calls for a systemic review of all other pre-existing DV laws, something for which the timing couldn't be better (Weinberger
Jane Shivas, executive director of the New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women, best summed up the Rice situation (Weinberger 1). "For a case like this to end this way is not uncommon. But it certainly is unfortunate." However, in a testimony to New Jersey's desire to protect victims of domestic violence, even before the Rice scandal broke out, measures were being taken in the New Jersey Legislature to further clarify and toughen DV laws (Weinberger 1). There is now renewed energy in seeing to it that these laws are passed. Among the proposed measures is a new rule allowing victims of domestic violence to testify via closed circuit video (Weinberger 1). This is so important because one of the primary reasons why DV cases are dropped is because the victim is afraid to testify in person” (Weinberger 1). The new bill also calls for a systemic review of all other pre-existing DV laws, something for which the timing couldn't be better (Weinberger