As lawmakers throughout the nation from New Jersey to Ohio attempt to address the epidemic of domestic violence, our own Washington athletes are making headlines of their own. As the U.S. Women's Soccer team departs to play Australia in the FIFA Women's World Cup, shocking new details from the team's goalie Hope Solo's domestic violence arrest in Seattle, Washington, last June have taken center stage. According to police reports, the athlete was combative during arrest. She was initially arrested and charged for two counts of domestic violence- for allegedly punching her sister and teenage nephew in the face. Hope had plead not-guilty, and her case was dismissed by Kirkland Municipal Court on procedural grounds. Prosecutors have filed an appeal with the Superior Court of Washington because the records differ from Hope's account of what happened- so this case is far from over. Oral arguments are scheduled for Sept. 11.

Meanwhile, Jamison Crowder, the wide-receiver for the Washington Redskins, has also been accused of domestic violence. A twitter user had uploaded a photo of a woman a cut lip and what appear to be bruises on her body. A spokesman for the team indicated they were aware of the accusations against Crowder, and will be following ‘proper NFL protocol.' He has not been arrested nor charged.

The Law is Gender Neutral

In this post, I have chronicled two public figures who have been accused of DV- one a man, and one a woman. Title 26 of the Revised Code of Washington defines DV as any criminal act committed by one "family or household member" against another. This means that anyone can be accused of DV if they are accused to assaulting a nephew, parent, child, or significant other. The victim does not have to be the opposite-gender nor related by blood. While men are typically overwhelmingly the accused perpetrators of DV, Title 26 does not differentiate between male or female aggressors, so the crime should be theoretically prosecuted equally. In fact, studies have shown that DV committed by women against men is on the rise.

• Potential Legal Defenses
• The act was in self defense
• The accusations were deliberately false
• Lack of proof/evidence
• Mistaken Identity- This may include presenting evidence as to whether the defendant was near the scene of the alleged incident and whether he or she had a reliable alibi.

Let My Extensive Experience as a Former Prosecutor Work For You."

When you understand the potential consequences of a misdemeanor or felony conviction, you will understand how important it is to work with an experienced attorney who knows the local courts and inner workings of law enforcement. Seattle criminal defense lawyer Steve Karimi has been zealously defending people's freedom and keeping them out of jail for decades. He represents people in any state criminal court in Washington facing a wide range of misdemeanor, juvenile, and felony criminal threat charges- including charges of domestic violence, felony assault, and malicious mischief. Contact a Seattle DV attorney or call 206-621-8777 to schedule a free initial consultation. 24-hour-a-day call service is available at 206-660-6200.