Commentary

Praise for a Brave Woman; Shame for a Cowardly Man


Gary Kopycinski

Commentary
By Gary Kopycinski

To the lady, I say, “Well done.”

To the man, well, not pleased at all, dude. Not. At. All.

Two Saturdays ago, just before noon, a woman arrived at the Park Forest Police Department to file a complaint. I will not reveal her name, and, considering our policy at eNews Park Forest to this point, I will not reveal his name, since no charges were filed.

But I know you, dude. I know who you are. Many of my friends know you too. They know your name. I know your name.

And I am chomping at the bit to tell everyone your name. Chomping at the bit to tell the world your name.

Because I believe her, and I trust her instincts that led her, almost 10 hours after this alleged assault, to gather the courage, go to the PFPD alone, and tell her story, document what you allegedly did.

But I will respect her wishes.

Women I know, some of them social workers, would cheer if I shared your name with EVERYONE. Many of them would want every woman in the world to know your name.

But I will respect her, the one you allegedly hurt, allegedly threatened, allegededly assaulted.

Allegedly assaulted with your words.

I will respect her wishes, because I know her too. And I now respect her more.

Here is what she told police, after an officer was dispatched to the Park Forest Police Department on May 14 shortly before noon to investigate a report of domestic trouble.

She actually found the courage to come to the station, almost 10 hours after the alleged event.

She told police that she had been out at 2 a.m. that morning, hanging out with friends, when she received a phone call on her cell phone from her husband.

She told police that she was already on her way home, and continued to her residence after speaking with her husband on the phone.

Dude, she was already on her way home, according to police.

Upon arriving home, her husband met her at the front door and engaged in a verbal dispute with her, according to police.

He would not allow her to enter the residence, according to police.

During the exchange at the front door, the woman told police that her husband allegedly threatened to retrieve a knife from the kitchen and stab her.

Fearful for her safety, she left the residence and stayed with a relative, according to police.

Dude, I know you. You are much larger than she.

A knife? Really?

Threaten to stab her? Really?

The woman told the officer that her husband is a violent person and has (allegedly) battered her in the past, but she did not report past instances, police said.

She further related that he is refusing to allow her to return to their residence and will not allow her to see their children.

She told police that she did not want to pursue criminal complaints against him, and only wish to have an officer escort her to her residence to retrieve her property and her children. She signed a waiver of prosecution regarding the alleged assault.

Police stood by while she collected her personal items. Her husband was not on the scene at the time, according to police.

To the lady, I applaud your courage. I know that women from around the world respect your courage.

You did the right thing.

And you, my lady, are in my prayers.


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