As usual, CBH is doing the right thing -- and so should we.

Nestor asked me to turn this comment to his post on Dragovic into a separate Fan Post.

In Nestor's post, CBH is quoted as saying that "I'm going to wait for all the facts."

We must all “wait for all of the facts”.

I’ve written, several times here, at great length about “fairness”, “due process” and the fact that all who are charged are “innocent until proven guilty”.

ND has simply been charged.

I want to make one thing very clear. Our society should not tolerate violence of any kind. Those who perpetrate acts of violence should be punished.

Violence against anyone is unacceptable.

“Domestic violence” is an area often treated as “special” — one in which the beat officers are instructed to apply a “zero tolerance” policy. What that means is that they have no discretion in deciding whether to arrest and take into custody the alleged perpetrator — be it a man or woman. If a domestic partner says there was violence — there will be an arrest.

Most of the cops I know dislike “domestic” calls more than most others — because they are often called in by one party or the other, not because there was violence but because one party wants to exert leverage or up the ante against the other. In some instances, there was no violence — but zero tolerance often mandates that an arrest and removal be made.

I do not know whether the LAPD has a “zero tolerance” policy in this area. Rotten, do you know? If it does, that, in itself may explain why Drago spent a night in jail.

I am not saying it didn’t happen or that it did. All I’m saying is that CBH is taking the approach we all should take — let’s wait until the facts come in.

For more on this topic, please read my cautionary notes on the so called MJD incident. There was a lot of wailing and angst, MJD lost stature in the eyes of some, only to have he facts completely exonerate him.

Let’s give ND the presumptions of innocence to which he is entitled. There will be plenty of time to talk about appropriate dispositions if he is proven to be guilty.

sjh

PS. There is a difference between a societal sanction and one by an athletic team. CBH can make an administrative decision unfettered by the procedures mandated by the Constitution and the criminal justice system.

If there is any coach in any sport that I trust to do a fair investigation and do the right thing pending a full legal disposition, it is CBH.

One concern I have is that because some here have consistently nailed cheety petey for his lenient applications of administrative discretion, to justify our position we will demand that CBH act immediately and harshly — even though the facts might not warrant it.

We have good reason to distrust cp and absolutely every reason to trust CBH. Let’s just step back and let him handle this.

PPS. It is clear that my many years of work with the criminal justice system and my years of teaching criminal and Constitutional law have affected my judgment and conclusions. I have seen far too many people stigmatized by the reports of conduct that later proved to be unfounded.