Your 'lucky' night Take the following scenario that might happen on any summer weekend in Colorado (or any State in the U.S.) as you are out cruising the local scene. This hypothetical situation is perfectly reasonable under current laws in the State of Colorado. While it is unknown whether this exact situation has occurred, variants of it have.
She was all over you almost as soon as you walked in the bar. She couldn't keep her hands off you, and when you danced she got you so hard you had to hide it on the way back to the table. Naturally you take her to your house. A warm summer evening, the windows are open, and she is, shall we say, audible. This woman loves it! She is panting and moaning, yelling "Stop! Stop! I can't stand any more!" "Oh please don't do that!" as she grabs you and pulls you into her, and then climbs on top of you. You finally collapse from exhaustion planning on how you are going to brag to your buddy next door, who must have heard this.
She wakes you in the morning, screaming and tearing up the house. You grab her and try to control her. She is berserk. You are scratched up and she is looking the worse for wear. Neighbors call the police, or she does. Obviously 'domestic violence' when they get there. Arrest is mandatory [18-6-803.6] and you are taken off in handcuffs.
You protest you've never seen this woman before but it is obvious that you have been intimate with her [14-4-101]. You make bond eventually and sign the mandatory restraining orders or you don't get out of jail. Maybe you don't notice that one of them says you will vacate the premises [18-1-1001]. Hell, you never saw her before last night, and you head back home. She is still there and starts screaming again as soon as she sees you.
More police! You've violated the restraining order to vacate, harassed and intimidated her, and would obviously like to retaliate against her. You probably also shout at and threaten her. Three months later, when you get out of jail again, you are a little more cautious but she is still in your house. She has told the victim's assistance program that is where she is living. You have no options, the female district attorney assures you that you are an unspeakable beast, the judge is bound by the laws and judicial bias is a reality. The rent is way past due. Best if you pay it or the landlord will take you to court!
You'd like a drink but consumption or possession of alcohol is prohibited. No guns, any other weapon, or explosives either or you will violate Federal law and be up on a felony charge. You are also ordered not to contact, or directly or indirectly communicate with the 'victim.' Any minor infraction of these restraining orders and you get another reunion with all those great people down at the county jail. Unless you like tending the Sheriff's flower garden you obey the restraining orders. However, by court order, you are a street person, and have probably lost your job, so maybe the jail looks good to you during the winter months.
You will also be made to take domestic violence counseling run by rabid feminists where you are made to admit that you are a 'batterer' and swear to forsake the patriarchy forever. Before this started you probably hadn't even heard of the patriarchy but you are still inherently evil because you are male.
And all of this is supposed to reduce your tendency to violence? Because you haven't learned your lesson, you plead innocent at the hearing. This is a free country, right? Justice will be done and within 6 months your case comes up for trial on 'fast track.' In Colorado Springs, defense attorneys refer to 'fast track' as a railroad.
How's the house looking now? Did her boyfriend move in with her? How does it feel when you make the house payment? Anything left of your possessions? Were they doing drugs, and when the police broke in, she blamed them on you? Does RICO now have a whole new meaning to you? Or maybe you live in Denver and they've taken your house under municipal ordinance 37-50, et seq . as a 'public nuisance' because of the loud parties she was having. Well, likely she won't show up for the trial, and eventually you think you will get to go back home. But you end up convicted of domestic violence anyway after the cops testify what they saw when they arrived.
In San Diego, California, they found that they got a higher conviction rate if the alleged 'victim' didn't testify. Boulder is now using the same approach with the same results. If, as you should, you carry the issue to trial, you must be sure and subpoena the 'victim.' Dismissal of the charges should be demanded if she fails to appear.
Conviction carries a lifetime sentence, no weapons, you are listed in a national database, the restraining orders are permanent, and you've earned the contempt of your neighbors. Every time a cop stops you the restraining order will come up.
When you do check out the house after the trial, she is still there. Please don't be so foolish as to go in, or anywhere near your house if she is. If there is anything left of your life, home, job, savings, or children after having been accused of domestic violence, you will be hard pressed to recognize it. Can't happen? You haven't looked at the domestic violence laws now on the books in many states, including Colorado, under the umbrella of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) passed by Congress in 1994.