Chapter 8 - THE ASSAULT CASE
The slap mattered too.
Authorities handled it separately.
Vanessa eventually accepted responsibility for striking Mom.
The disposition reflected the limited physical injury, her lack of prior violent convictions, age of the victim, and surrounding circumstances.
Probationary conditions.
Counseling.
No unsupervised contact with Mom for a period.
Protective conditions.
I faced consequences for slapping Vanessa.
I cooperated.
I had acted after she attempted to shove me and after witnessing violence toward Mom, so the legal analysis included those facts.
I did not pretend my hand never moved.
Whatever formal resolution applied, I accepted it.
Mom hated that.
“You protected me.”
“Yes.”
“You shouldn’t be punished.”
“I also have to control myself.”
That lesson mattered because the entire family had spent years excusing behavior based on intention.
Vanessa helped Mom.
So financial control was okay.
Brandon loved Vanessa.
So false notarization became understandable.
I protected Mom.
So hitting someone should be automatically righteous.
May you like
No.
Standards had to survive affection.
