The “eye for an eye” law of reciprocity was put into play this week when
a prosecutor in Chesterfield, Virginia, insisted that a man who snipped
off eight to 12 inches of his former girlfriend’s hair must shave his
own head for six months as punishment.
The defendant, Melvin D. Hunt, 61, a former physical education
coordinator for a private Chesterfield County school, agreed to the
terms. He has until Dec. 1 to comply.
“There are a lot of fellows that go around with no hair,” Hunt’s
attorney, Bill Shields, explained. “It was part of the deal and my
client will abide by it.”
Hunt pleaded guilty on Thursday in Chesterfield General District Court to misdemeanor assault in a bizarre attack on his former girlfriend,
who had agreed to meet Hunt on Sept. 12 in the parking lot of Elizabeth
Davis Middle School, where she is employed as a physical education and
health teacher.
But the woman had no inkling of what was about to happen.
After the couple talked in the parking lot and Hunt asked for a hug, the
defendant pulled out a pair of scissors and snipped off the woman’s
ponytail that trailed half way down her back. She didn’t realize what
had happened until seeing her hair fall to the ground, police said.
Hunt then threw her car keys into a locked, fenced area of the school
lot and drove away.
A bag containing the woman’s hair was used as evidence in court as Chesterfield prosecutor Larry Hogan negotiated with Hunt’s attorney on what should be done. Hunt, who has since left his position with Riverside School, agreed to plead guilty and the judge sentenced him to a 12-month suspended jail term. Hogan also insisted that Hunt complete an anger management course in addition to the counseling he is already undergoing. But Hogan had one additional condition: “That the defendant shave his head and keep it that way for six months.” Hogan said Judge Thomas L. Vaughn felt uncomfortable requiring the defendant to shave his head because “obviously it’s a little bit out of ordinary” and he was uncertain how he would enforce it. So “the defendant agreed to undertake that condition on his own.”
He has until Dec. 1 to comply. “It’s akin to the cases where someone steals something from a store or damages or defaces somebody’s property, (and the court requires) they wear a sandwich board out in front and say, ‘Here I am, I did these things and I’m sorry,’ ” Hogan explained. Shields, Hunt’s attorney, said he didn’t consider the prosecution’s condition a “deal breaker,” so he accepted it. Hogan said the victim has maintained contact with Hunt, who told the judge “that he was still very much in love with her.” Shields said the victim wanted prosecutors to drop the charge against Hunt, “and her family was entirely in favor of that position.” But the school, the police and prosecutor’s office were pushing it, he said. Hogan said he plans to “make some contacts” later this year to ensure Hunt keeps his word about shaving his head. “I’ll check, and if he hasn’t done it yet, then I’ll have to decide what I want to do about that.”
A bag containing the woman’s hair was used as evidence in court as Chesterfield prosecutor Larry Hogan negotiated with Hunt’s attorney on what should be done. Hunt, who has since left his position with Riverside School, agreed to plead guilty and the judge sentenced him to a 12-month suspended jail term. Hogan also insisted that Hunt complete an anger management course in addition to the counseling he is already undergoing. But Hogan had one additional condition: “That the defendant shave his head and keep it that way for six months.” Hogan said Judge Thomas L. Vaughn felt uncomfortable requiring the defendant to shave his head because “obviously it’s a little bit out of ordinary” and he was uncertain how he would enforce it. So “the defendant agreed to undertake that condition on his own.”
He has until Dec. 1 to comply. “It’s akin to the cases where someone steals something from a store or damages or defaces somebody’s property, (and the court requires) they wear a sandwich board out in front and say, ‘Here I am, I did these things and I’m sorry,’ ” Hogan explained. Shields, Hunt’s attorney, said he didn’t consider the prosecution’s condition a “deal breaker,” so he accepted it. Hogan said the victim has maintained contact with Hunt, who told the judge “that he was still very much in love with her.” Shields said the victim wanted prosecutors to drop the charge against Hunt, “and her family was entirely in favor of that position.” But the school, the police and prosecutor’s office were pushing it, he said. Hogan said he plans to “make some contacts” later this year to ensure Hunt keeps his word about shaving his head. “I’ll check, and if he hasn’t done it yet, then I’ll have to decide what I want to do about that.”
No comments:
Post a Comment