Domestic violence leads to alleged death threat

Domestic violence can take many different forms. Sometimes it involves the use of a weapon; in other instances, physical force is used. As demonstrated by a recent arrest for domestic violence crimes in Murfreesboro, many cases also involve a threat of greater violence used to intimidate the victim.

A 22-year-old woman was attempting to flee her boyfriend, allegedly because he had threatened her with physical abuse. According to authorities, she ran out of his apartment, and he chased her into nearby woods. Police said the boyfriend caught her and held her by the back of the neck. He allegedly locked her in a shed in the woods and told her not to reveal her location or he would kill her. He reportedly gestured toward his hip as if to indicate that was where he carried the weapon. Police said the woman then sent a text message to her mother asking for help and saying that the boyfriend was drunk and threatening her. The mother drove to the apartment complex where the boyfriend lived, but just before she arrived, she received a second message from her daughter relaying the death threat. Police were summoned, and they found the young woman in the shed. The boyfriend was later taken into custody.

Further investigation revealed that the boyfriend had a prior conviction for domestic assault. He was charged in this case with aggravated domestic assault, aggravated kidnapping, preventing the woman from calling 911 and violating a probation warrant.

Many people do not realize that the several crimes labeled domestic violence do not require that a couple be married. It is sufficient that they are or have been involved in a close intimate relationship before the violence or threats occur. Anyone who is in a relationship where threats of violence have been made may wish to consult an experienced family lawyer for an evaluation of the situation and an enumeration of the various forms of legal relief, including a protective order or temporary restraining order.