Connecticut man arrested after watermelon-cutting incident
One Connecticut man is making national headlines after he was arrested by police for allegedly threatening a woman by cutting a watermelon in a reportedly threatening manner. According to reports, the woman told police that she came home on July 4 and found a watermelon with a butcher’s knife in it on the counter. She then claims that the 49-year-old man came into the kitchen and started cutting the watermelon.
The woman reportedly told authorities that she believed the man was trying to intimidate her, but police have made no mention of any allegations of physical assault. Another family member who was reportedly at the residence at the time of the alleged incident and saw the watermelon claimed that he did not see anything unusual and that it just appeared that the man had not had a chance to cut it up yet.
The man was arrested on July 12 and charged with second-degree threatening and disorderly conduct. The Thomaston Police Chief defended the arrest, stating that it was the police’s responsibility to look at all of the circumstances surrounding the situation and intervene if there was probable cause of criminal behavior. The woman apparently also told police that she found Percocet and marijuana among the man’s belongings, but that did not result in any charges. At the July 14 arraignment, the judge issued a partial protection order, and the next court date is scheduled for Aug. 14. The man is expected to plead not guilty to the charges.
As seen here, allegations of domestic violence, even in cases where there is no physical incident, can turn serious quickly. A conviction can have lifelong consequences for the defendant, including affecting future job opportunities and custody disputes. Defendants do have options, however, and understanding how the laws apply is the first step in mounting a criminal defense against accusations of domestic violence.
Source: The Register Citizen, “Thomaston police defend watermelon stabbing arrest that went viral” Isaac Avilucea, Jul. 16, 2014
