Letter of the Day: Learn from Taschuk case

Last update: October 19, 2009 - 10:51 AM

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Your Oct. 12 article "Years of 911 calls couldn't save her" quotes the Anoka County prosecutor as saying there is "no formula" to prevent acts such as Pam Taschuk's murder. In fact, there is such a formula.

Extensive research has been conducted on exactly that issue -- increased risk and lethality assessments in domestic violence cases. After years of analysis, clear indicators have been identified that show when a person is at an increased risk of homicide. Pam Taschuk's case had many of these indicators. Criminal justice personnel such as the prosecutor you quote and the judge who released Allen Taschuk on such low bail with no conditions should have had training in such lethality assessment and thus the ability to identify the case as an exceptionally dangerous one. They should have responded to this case consistent with this risk. Certainly, the judge did not.

Pam Taschuk's tragic case is an opportunity for this community to examine carefully the criminal justice system response to domestic violence and save lives in the future.

CHERYL THOMAS, MINNEAPOLIS;

DIRECTOR, WOMEN'S PROGRAM, THE ADVOCATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

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