Sometimes the first offence should be the last offence

Years ago I worked as a law clerk for criminal lawyers. Eventually, I made the decision that I would take my talents down a road that had absolutely nothing to do with criminal law. I worked for very effective and very busy criminal defense lawyers but I use to leave work at night feeling dirty and beat up. I learned to school my face, my emotions and my voice so that nothing of the contempt or horror that I felt would ever cross my countenance in any way, shape or form. If I had a nickel for every time I insisted that a client not tell me their side of the story I would have retired a wealthy woman. Trust me, having to comb for the police disclosure was more than enough for me.

I have sat across from the alleged victim of a domestic assault that was so horrific that her face was not even recognizable as human as she tired to use what was left of her mouth and lips to plead her alleged boyfriend/assailant’s innocence. My firm took on his case and I took down her statement. I had no doubt that she was lying and I felt such a profound sense of grief as I wrote down every single lying every word she misspoke. The alleged perpetrator came by a few days after his acquittal to bring the staff flowers and thanked each of us personally for all our help. He insisted on shaking my hand, and after, I smiled and excused myself so that I could discretely go to the ladies room and toss my cookies and wash my hands in peace.

I believe that everyone is entitled to an advocate but this is no compelling reason why my participation is needed in the process. I would rather sleep easy at night and let the job go to others who are rarely troubled by such things as guilt, innocence or just desserts. I rarely think about those days now and I learned many valuable life lessons. I found this at Neale News today and this article from the Edmonton Sun took me back to those dark years:

An "out-of-control" Edmonton father has admitted repeatedly kicking his teenage daughter with his steel-toed boots in a brutal assault that horrified onlookers.

Nagi Ahmad Zrein, 50, pleaded guilty in provincial court yesterday to assault with a weapon for kicking the then-14-year-old girl during an attack which also included him punching, stomping and slamming her face into a van.

An eyewitness to the Aug. 30 assault said she is haunted by the vicious beating. "I wake up every morning seeing her face," said Sharon Trelenberg. "She was brutally attacked. He was out of control." Fellow eyewitness Jody Hickey, who rescued the victim by bringing her into her home and calling police, agreed. "It was probably one of the most violent crimes against a child I have ever seen," said Hickey.

Crown prosecutor Christian Lim told court Zrein went to pick up his daughter at her friend's home and was upset she had had contact with a 39-year-old man. He went there with his wife and began "yelling and screaming uncontrollably" and swearing at his daughter while telling her to get into their vehicle.

While still in the home, Zrein began assaulting the teen by punching her in the head repeatedly with a closed fist, said Lim. The victim ran outside and Zrein chased her down, threw her to the ground and began kicking her in the stomach and arms with his steel-toed boots, said Lim. Trelenberg told Zrein to stop, but he continued and stomped on his daughter twice with all his weight, said Lim, adding Zrein yelled, 'I should have kicked the sh-t out of you years ago. "

He then picked her up by the hair with both hands and slammed her face into the side of the minivan as the two civilian witnesses looked on in horror," said Lim. Zrein again kicked the girl, who was screaming for help and pleading with him to stop, then threw her into the van and told his wife to drive her home.

Hickey grabbed the beaten teen, brought her into her home and called police, said Lim.

You know what I am thankful for? That I live in a country where no one has the right to treat a man, woman, child or dog like this man treated his daughter. I am profoundly grateful that there are still people in this country that would step in and help a 14 year girl escape that brutal senseless beating.

If I have a regret it is that he was not convicted of attempted murder, and instead, will no doubt plead some extenuating circumstances to diminish his responsibility for this senseless brutal assault on his daughter. After all, you dotcha know – it’s his first offence.