Elraine Figarette
David2074
Elraine Figarette
I'm trying to figure out why the woman's
live-in boyfriend was charged differently.
Quite possibly he has not legal custody over the child and was not the one who put it in the cage so technically he did not abuse the child but he did ALLOW the child to be abused - hence the charge. (just a guess)
I guess. Though really, I would have thought that it'd be more like being an accomplice to a murder where you get the same punishment as if you'd actually done it. I find it hard to believe his participation was limited to failing to tell his girlfriend not to lock an eight-year-old in a cage, though.
confused
For all I know it might be the same punishment or close to it.
Keep in mind that regardless of what you suppose he may have done because he lived there, prosecutors have to charge based on what they have a reasonable expectation they can convict on. So if they say he DID the child abuse his lawyer is going to point out to the jury that
1. He denies doing so and the prosecutor (probably) has no proof that he did. and
2. He has no legal say in how the child is raised because it is not his child and he was just a roommate.
Chances are he would be found not guilty.
On the other hand by charging him with allowing it - his lawyer will have a much harder time convincing a jury he was unaware of how the girl was being treated and (obviously) there will be no record showing he reported it to authorities. The burden of proof is much lower and he will probably be convicted.
Also, if their investigation uncovers proof that he also committed abuse on his own they can likely tack that charge on after the fact.