BENTON MAN ARRESTED FOR THIRD DOMESTIC ASSAULT IN LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS

ON DECEMBER 10, 2014, SCOTT COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTIES ARRESTED A 42-YEAR OLD BENTON, MISSOURI

MAN ON HIS THIRD DOMESTIC ASSAULT SINCE THE END OF SEPTEMBER. MANY EXPERTS POINT TO THE CASE

AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE NEED FOR STRONGER LEGISLATION IN THE STATE TO PROTECT WOMEN AGAINST

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

FIRST ARRESTACCORDING TO ARREST RECORDS, TRAVIS HUCKABAY WAS CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC ASSAULT AFTER

CORPORAL JUSTIN WOOTEN REPORTED TO A REPORT FROM A WOMAN THAT SHE HAD BEEN CHOKED BY

HUCKABAY ON JUNE 30, 2014. WHILE THE OFFICER WAS AT HER HOME TAKING THE REPORT, HUCKABAY

CALLED AND THE DEPUTY HEARD HIM ADMIT TO THE ASSAULT. HE WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH A

CLASS C FELONY OF DOMESTIC ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE. HE WAS ORDERED HELD ON A $2,500

CASH BOND.

SECOND ARREST

ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2014, POLICE WERE AGAIN CALLED TO A RESIDENCE WHEN A WOMAN CLAIMED

HUCKABAY HAD THREATENED HER WITH A KNIFE. SHE ALSO CLAIMED THAT HUCKABAY HAD KEPT HER FROM

LEAVING THE RESIDENCE AND ASSAULTED HER. DEPUTY JOHN CAUDLE OBSERVED BRUISING ON THE

WOMAN’S NECK. HUCKABAY WAS AGAIN ORDERED TO BE HELD, THIS TIME WITH A CASH BOND OF $5,000.

THIRD ARREST

ON DECEMBER 9, 2014, SERGEANT CHARLES PRATT RESPONDED TO A DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE IN

PROGRESS WHERE THE FEMALE VICTIM REPORTED THAT HUCKABAY HAD THREATENED HER WITH A STICK.

WHEN HE LEARNED SHE WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, HE HID THE STICK IN ANOTHER

ROOM. BECAUSE HUCKABAY HAD ASSAULTED HER MANY TIMES WHEN THEY LIVED IN STODDARD COUNTY,

THE WOMAN BELIEVED THAT HE WAS PLANNING TO HIT HER WITH THE STICK, YET HUCKABAY DENIED

THREATENING THE WOMAN. HE WAS ARRESTED AND HELD ON A $750 CASH BOND.

LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY

MANY ABUSE VICTIMS SAY THAT PART OF THEIR FRUSTRATION IS THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY FACED BY

THOSE WHO ABUSE THEM. MISSOURI REVISED CRIMINAL CODES IN AN EFFORT TO STREAMLINE AND

ORGANIZE LAWS, BUT MANY OF THOSE CHANGES DO NOT TAKE EFFECT UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2017. AT THAT

TIME, THERE WILL BE LANGUAGE REGARDING ISOLATION OF VICTIMS. IN ADDITION, DOMESTIC ASSAULT IN

THE FOURTH DEGREE WILL INCLUDE TRYING TO CAUSE OR RECKLESSLY CAUSING INJURY TO A VICTIM BUT

WILL ONLY BE CLASSIFIED AS A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR. IN THOSE CASES, IT IS COMMON FOR THE

PUNISHMENT TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN A FINE AND PROBATION ACCORDING TO MISSOURI PERSONAL

INJURY ATTORNEY.

VICTIM FEAR AND DEPENDENCE

MANY OF THOSE WHO SUFFER INJURY AND ISOLATION DUE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE EMOTIONALLY AND

FINANCIALLY DEPENDANT ON THOSE WHO INJURE THEM SO THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO PRESS CHARGES. IN

OTHER CASES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS FEAR THE RETALIATION THEY WILL SUFFER IF THEY DO HAVE THE

ABUSER ARRESTED. COURTS ARE NOW OFFERING DIVERSION PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW BOTH THE VICTIM AND

PERPETRATOR INTO COUNSELING AS OPPOSED TO JAIL TIME IN AN EFFORT TO END THE CYCLE OF ABUSE.

HOWEVER, MANY VICTIM ADVOCATES SAY THAT THERE SHOULD BE ENHANCED CHARGES FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS,

SOMETHING THAT THE NEW MISSOURI CODE WILL ADDRESS. IN HUCKABAY’S CASE, AN E FELONY FOR THE FIRST

CHARGE MAY HAVE BEEN BUMPED TO A D FELONY FOR THE SECOND AND A C FELONY FOR THE THIRD, WHICH

WOULD MEAN MORE JAIL TIME AND STRICTER REGULATIONS ON WHAT BAIL MAY BE SET.

ALTHOUGH MISSOURI IS TAKING STEPS TO OFFER STRICTER PUNISHMENTS FOR THOSE WHO ABUSE THEIR

DOMESTIC PARTNERS, THE LAWS WILL NOT TAKE EFFECT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. FOR THIS REASON, POLICE

AND PROSECUTORS URGE ANYONE WHO IS A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO CONTACT THE NATIONAL

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE AT 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT VICTIMS SPEAK

TO A ST. LOUIS ASSAULT DEFENSE ATTORNEY.