Press report details allegations of the former girlfriend and business partner of well-known marijuana entrepreneur and advocate NJ Weedman that police mishandled her domestic violence complaint against Weedman. The story describes the former girlfriend's allegations that she told police of at least two serious incidents of alleged domestic violence for which she had video evidence but they refused to further investigate and prosecute. The former girlfriend has continued to complain since the alleged 2019 and 2020 domestic violence incidents about how the police allegedly mistreated her while ignoring her complaints. She even attributes police inattention to her role in helping NJ Weedman sue the city over police action.

The Other Side of the Story

The NJ Weedman alleged domestic violence story illustrates how challenging police can find sorting out what happened to instigate a domestic violence call and complaint. The story further reports that police supervisors reviewing the matter maintain that the involved officers did everything by the book. The former girlfriend's alleged failure to share the video evidence, later made available to the press, may have kept critical evidence from the police. The former girlfriend's account, Weedman's account, and even the video evidence itself may have left questions over who the aggressor was and whether Weedman may have simply acted in self-defense. That the former girlfriend suffered no apparent injury from any physical contact may also have contributed to police inaction, as may the former girlfriend's initial failure to report the incidents and her subsequent reluctance to pursue charges. Every story has two sides. In deciding whether to pursue domestic violence charges, police consider both sides.

What Happens in Domestic Violence Calls

Facing a domestic violence call to your house can be a frightening and confusing affair. The New Jersey Domestic Violence Procedures Manual describes the protocol police should follow when responding to a 911 domestic violence call. When police respond to a domestic violence call, expect them to first separate the complainant from the one whom the complainant alleges committed the abuse or made the abusive threat. Separation both protects the parties and enables the police to get statements from each side, tending to show consistencies or inconsistencies in the accounts. Police will try to determine whether abuse occurred and, if so, who was the predominant aggressor. Police must generally arrest and remove that aggressor, although when facts are unclear as to whether abuse occurred, police can have some discretion in removal. Identification of the parties, background check for existing restraining orders, and seizure and safekeeping of any weapons are other police protocols. Your main role is to remain calm, obey police direction, and avoid incriminating statements, relying instead on your right to remain silent.

Retain a Premier New Jersey Criminal Defense Attorney

If you face false, exaggerated, or otherwise unjust and unsupported domestic violence allegations or a restraining order request, retain New Jersey criminal defense attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm for your aggressive and effective defense. Call 888-535-3686 for a consultation now or use the online service.