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Comment by dfedbeef | Hacker News Reader

What about this one

> A jury has convicted a Woodstock man for putting a child in a headlock, pulling him to the ground and striking him repeatedly, leaving him injured in Woodstock.

https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/2023/05/25/jury-convicts-...

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That is not a black and white situation, and I received only 10 days in jail because of the circumstances, despite the prosecutor asking for the full 365 days. The statues of Illinois do not permit any evidence prior to the day of the incidents to be presented. I could not provide the jury any evidence that my son was becoming a very real danger who I had to protect myself and my other children from for at least a month beforehand. I am not and have never been a violent person, so he didn't get that from me. I could not present to the jury that I had called 911 on him several times, that he threw sharp objects at me, that I did everything I could do disarm him with as least physical force. I did not know about crisis hotline and the police never told me about it or suggested it, they simply said I'd have to figure something out. All I could present to the jury was his own testimony, under oath, that he had in fact harmed me and caused me physical harm. I used as little force as necessary to restrain him from another episode of dangerous behavior. I'm not sure what I could or should have done differently. And anyone commenting this or that solution, I would just say, I agree violence is rarely the answer, but I'm not sure what you would have done differently either. He has since been arrested at least once for similar violent behavior, so I am vindicated at least somewhat, because he didn't learn that from me, and I tried everything I could to prevent and stop it for the month before my arrest, and I haven't seen him since the arrest 4 years ago. And I was never violent. He didn't learn it from me. In order to protect another person's reputation, I will not say where I think he learned it.

Does his whole school know that his dad is a registered sex offender? That might lead to some anger issues

He had a great time in school, was very popular and had lots of friends. I know what led to his violent behavior. It didn't come from imitating me. I filed with the courts to protect him from someone, and the judge agreed with me that it was alarming what he was experiencing from others. But I failed to use the courts to protect him before it was too late. I tried and I failed. That's all I can say.

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