In Her Own Words

Following the arrest of her husband more than 15 years ago on domestic abuse charges, Paula Dickerson wrote to prosecutors within days of the incident to urge them to drop the charges against her husband. She followed up with another letter later on after prosecutors continued to pursue the case over her objection. You won't find this part of the story in the Indianapolis Star or on any of the reports on the television news stations around town. You read and you decide whether Eric Dickerson criminally abused his wife 15 years ago on one occasion. Here's what she had to say a few days after the arrest on August 31, 1991, in her own words:

During this past week I have spoken with various people both in your office and with the police department who have claimed that I am a "battered woman living in a violent situation."

I appreciate laws that have been legislated to protect women who are being abused. However, these laws are instituted to help women, not to destroy marriages or the family structure.

This past weekend my husband, Eric Dickerson, was arrested. I have been read the police report over the phone and have found instances of assumption made on the police officer's part who filed the report.

I am not a battered woman; I am not living in an abusive environment; nor are any of my children neglected or abused.

One incident has taken place last weekend that has catapulted our whole family into a category where legally we do not fit, or belong.

I have been told that an "angry touch" constitutes not only battery, but abuse.

Be for real! If that were the case, every husband and wife would be behind bars at one time or another. And not only that, but the public school systems would be closed down due to gross amounts of profanity and abusive behavior directed against students and teachers alike.

This is a sick society we are living in and it becomes nauseating when a woman is told that she is a "state's victim" for the prosecution against her husband of 20 years who is a good husband to her and good father unto their children.

I am writing this letter to let you know that I am not a battered wife and am not going to promote you or any police officer who was called to the scene, not by myself, because of a situation that got out of hand and because angry words were spoken between my husband and myself. Neither am I going to testify as "state's witness" against my husband for him "touching me" while angry.

Both Eric and I will be showing up in Municipal Court , Room #16, September 16, 1991 at 9:00 a.m. as husband and wife and we both will be leaving as husband and wife.

You can find this letter and another letter Paula Dickerson wrote, along with what remains of the court file over at Taking Down Words, which is apparently turning this incident into a crusade against domestic violence. Fits right in with Melina's charge that Brizzi's soft on domestic violence. That's fine. Let's just see if Taking Down Words will have the same point of view when similar reports surface having to do with Democratic party office-holders and candidates.