Swift verdict in beating of pregnant wife
Published 8:05 am Thursday, August 25, 2005
By Staff
CASSOPOLIS - For the second time in a week, a jury made it clear that domestic violence will not be tolerated in Cass County.
Last week it was a daughter beating her mother in Dowagiac.
This week it was a husband beating his eight-month-pregnant wife because she dared to ask him about another woman he impregnated.
In both instances the juries returned swift domestic violence guilty verdicts.
Prosecutor Victor Fitz credited these successes to increased awareness by the public about domestic violence.
On Tuesday, Aug. 23, the three-man, three-woman jury found Dowagiac resident Frederick Green guilty of the Feb. 22, 2005, beating of his then-estranged wife.
She had confronted him about his possession of an ultra-sound picture depicting the child of another woman whom he impregnated during their marriage.
He responded by choking her, slapping and pushing down his wife while inside their apartment.
Green then took her cell phone so she could not call 911 and left.
The victim then had to walk to a relative's house to contact police.
Cass County Assistant Prosecutor Cara Hornbach argued the case successfully to the jury.
Hornbach handles the bulk of domestic violence cases in the county.
Fourth District Judge Paul E. Deats presided over the jury trial.
The victim since gave birth to a healthy baby boy.