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  1. #1
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    Aug 2017
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    Default Do You Have to Testify at a Domestic Violence Trial if You Marry Your Abuser

    My question involves criminal law for the state of: VA

    My boyfriend was charged with strangulation on me. We both were angry and had been arguing for a couple of hours. He was charged with strangulation class 6 felony. If we get marry will i have to testify agaisnt him?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Lake Chapala
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    Default Re: Can a Wife Testify Agaisnt Her Husband for a Charge While They Were Dating

    In a word, yes. The wife-cannot-testify-against-her-husband thing doesn't apply to cases like this.

    Just curious - who is pressing to get married? You or your BF?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
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    8,238

    Default Re: Do You Have to Testify at a Domestic Violence Trial if You Marry Your Abuser

    Quote Quoting Jphilip
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    My question involves criminal law for the state of: VA

    My boyfriend was charged with strangulation on me. We both were angry and had been arguing for a couple of hours. He was charged with strangulation class 6 felony. If we get marry will i have to testify agaisnt him?
    Yes, you will. The spousal privilege is only a privilege that allows you to refuse to testify as to things your spouse tells you during the course of the marriage. And even that privilege does not apply when one spouse is charged with committing a crime against the other. Here, you weren’t even married at the time this took place, so nothing is privileged here.

    And why do you want to marry someone who tried to strangle you? There is NEVER any good reason for man to lay a hand on his girlfriend in response to a verbal argument. NEVER. And trying to strangle you? That's pretty violent. Any man who does that is a lout and has problems with anger and violence that you should not want to experience. If he did it once, he can (and likely will) do it again. It may be even worse next time. You don't want to one of those women who end up severely injured or dead at the hands of your boyfriend or spouse. This attack is a big red flag for you. It always amazes me that some women will put up with abusive behavior in the name of love. Whatever it is, it is not love that he showing you when beating up on you. Do yourself a favor and look for someone who won’t hit you when he’s angry. I can predict you will not like what I am telling you, but it is nevertheless the truth. Guys who hit once are quite likely to do it again. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking he’s the exception.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    18,340

    Default Re: Do You Have to Testify at a Domestic Violence Trial if You Marry Your Abuser

    Quote Quoting Jphilip
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    If we get marry will i have to testify agaisnt him?
    Why would you be stupid enough to marry him?

    What's wrong with you?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2017
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    Florida
    Posts
    355

    Default Re: Do You Have to Testify at a Domestic Violence Trial if You Marry Your Abuser

    In cases involving domestic violence, strangulation is the strongest predictor of a future homicide. Strangulation cases are the most disturbing domestic violence cases a prosecutor can ever deal with. The batterer is communicating to the victim, "I control whether you live or die." It is the interruption of blood flow to the brain more than the deprivation of breath that makes it so dangerous. A situation like this puts a person in grave danger.

    You better believe a prosecutor is going to compel testimony in a case like this.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    2,289

    Default Re: Do You Have to Testify at a Domestic Violence Trial if You Marry Your Abuser

    Quote Quoting Jphilip
    View Post
    My question involves criminal law for the state of: VA

    My boyfriend was charged with strangulation on me. We both were angry and had been arguing for a couple of hours. He was charged with strangulation class 6 felony. If we get marry will i have to testify agaisnt him?
    Run away from this guy now. Do not marry him. I was in an abusive relationship - the last time my ex husband laid hands on me he strangled me. When I had to talk to the dv counselor and I told her I didn't go to the hospital or get checked out by anyone she chewed me out. She told me that there are women who have been strangled who died 3 days later because you can get a nerve pinched and not know it.

    I stupidly didn't divorce my ex husband until six months after he did that because each time he did assault me he was coming off meth. I stupidly kept giving him chances to get sober. He still hasn't yet and is on his fourth rehab stint. They don't change. You just have to remove yourself from that situation and I hope you don't have any kids with him. That makes it easier to cut ties completely.

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