Charlie Sheen: "Abra Kadabra"

On Christmas day actor Charlie Sheen was arrested in Colorado for attacking his wife. He remained in jail until he appeared before a judge. Bond was set and Sheen posted $8,500 and was released. His wife, Brooke Mueller, also received an order of protection prohibiting Sheen from having any contact with her.

The only reason Charlie Sheen made national headlines for attacking his wife on Christmas day is because Sheen just happens to be a Hollywood actor on a successful television sitcom and is a spokes person promoting fashion style and comfort for men's underwear.



In the real world of everyday folks when a call is made because an individual is beating or threatening the person with whom they are in a relationship, police response and immediate legal action, such as issuing a court order of protection or setting a high bond, can be a magical illusion.

Our nation's legal system is like a magic act. The magician is on stage as they place a magic wand over an object to appear or vanish. Exactly how the legal system for victims of violence responds to the “regular folks” in the real world.

The State of California had ample opportunity to create a working domestic violence and homicide bureau after the Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman murders. At that time the Department of Justice was awarding large grants to municipalities across the country, specifically for intimate violence and homicide. But L.A., who could have set the tone for the country on how to properly handle these cases, was too busy back peddling from the public relations nightmare of the OJ Simpson investigation and trial.


Now actor Charlie Sheen and his wife Brooke Mueller are being investigated by Los Angeles County’s Department of Children and Family Services and could potentially have their nine-month-old twin boys, Max and Bob, taken away from them temporarily. Wow! Does DCFS have legal grounds to do this when the incident happened in another State?



Does DCFS pursue or monitor “regular folks” who are not celebrities being threatened or stalked and take away their children? The answer is no! Do they even bother to investigate the claims of “regular folks” where the abuser threatens the lives of innocent children? The answer, is no!

Part two of this special series continues on Thursday, January 7, 2010.

And on January 13, 2010 the Susan Murphy Milano Show returns at 4:00 PM Eastern time. The show topic "Killing Me In The Courtroom."

Domestic Violence and Family Pets

Imagine living in an abusive home. Maybe you think it would be easy to “just leave.”
But what if doing so meant abandoning a beloved pet with your abuser? And what if that abuser had previously hurt your pet, or threatened to harm or even kill your pet if you were to leave?
This is the tragic situation that many women -- and their children -- are facing.
Very few domestic violence shelters offer on-site housing for pets. As a result, a significant number of women choose to stay in dangerous households, keeping themselves, their children and their pets in harm’s way.

According to a 2007 review of a dozen research studies, up to 48 percent of women in abusive relationships had concerns about the safety of their pets that affected whether they stayed in abusive homes.

No one should have to choose between their own safety and the safety of another family member, including a pet.

R17;s American Humane needs your help.

The Power of PAWS

Your donation will support American Humane’s Pets and Women’s Shelters (PAWS)™ Program, which helps women’s shelters and safe houses build and maintain accommodations for residents’ pets. The program is critical because it eliminates a significant obstacle to women leaving abusive relationships.

Since its inception one year ago, the PAWS Program has made tremendous progress. Currently, eight shelters provide on-site housing for pets and three more are in the process of doing so.
But approximately 2,500 family violence shelters have yet to consider the benefits of housing pets. We have a long way to go, and we’ll only get there with the help of donors like you.
Please give what you can to help keep women, children and pets together -- and safe!