backwards

Huh? Why was Erickson charged with assault?


BALTIMORE -- Baltimore Orioles pitcher Scott Erickson was charged Monday with assaulting his girlfriend after she confronted him about whether he was cheating on her, police said.


Erickson and Lisa Ortiz had a "heated argument'' that ended with Erickson throwing her to the floor of an elevator in the building where they live, according to a police report.


The right-handed pitcher told police Ortiz bit him on his right arm, causing a bruise and swelling. Police also said Erickson's right foot was bleeding and they found blood stains leading from the couple's condominium to the elevator.


Erickson and Ortiz told police they did not require medical attention.


Ortiz, 29, told reporters Monday afternoon that the incident was a "private matter between Scott and myself and unfortunately has escalated to the level of police involvement.''


Ortiz issued the statement in a conference call with the Beverly Hills Sports Council, the agency that represents Erickson.


"I want to set the record straight that Scott has never been physically abusive toward me, and in no way do I feel threatened or felt fear from Scott,'' Ortiz said.


Ortiz did not take questions.


Police said the fight began early Monday with Ortiz throwing items around the apartment. Erickson told Ortiz he wanted her to leave.


Erickson grabbed Ortiz, picked her up and put her in the hallway, police said. When she tried to get back inside, police said Erickson "grabbed her around the neck and threw her to the floor.'' He gripped her hair and pulled her toward the elevator, where he threw her inside and sent the elevator to the lobby, police said.


Ortiz returned to the couple's floor, and police said she kicked on the door until Erickson answered, but he pushed her back into the hall.


Police said Erickson told them he grabbed Ortiz around the waist "in an attempt to calm her down.'' Ortiz bit him, but Erickson said he "continued to take her to the elevator, where he sent her down to the lobby,'' according to the police report.


Erickson was released from custody early Monday. Ortiz was not charged.


A hearing in district court was set for Sept. 6.


Erickson missed all of last season after undergoing elbow surgery in August 2000.


He was the Orioles' opening day pitcher this season. He had been winless from April 28 until Tuesday, when he defeated the Seattle Mariners.


Erickson broke into the major leagues in 1990 with the Minnesota Twins. He pitched a no-hitter against Milwaukee on April 27, 1994, with the Twins.

"Police said Erickson told them he grabbed Ortiz around the waist "in an attempt to calm her down.''


Maybe because of this statement. Stuff like this is what a lot of domestic batterers say. Strange how so many batterers find the need to calm women down, "make them listen", "shake them back to reality" "just get in their face" etc... Grabbing by the neck is extremely dangerous and very typical in domestic situations. Grabbing by the hair is also very controlling, a hallmark of the domestic batterer. I cannot say Ericson is guilty. I don't know what happened. But I would bet there is a lot more to the story than is printed in the paper. The victim might be telling the truth (that nothing really happened) in this case, but she might be saying something very different in the conference call as opposed to what was said to the police. And often what is said right after is more accurate than what is said later.


This case may be bogus, but domestic violence cases are complex factually and psychologically. Don't jump to conclusions based on news stories.


I have a lot of anecdotes or war stories on these cases, but I'll avoid recitation of them here. Suffice it to say, people who handle these cases in the system get the idea that they are often a matter of life or death. Allegations are taken seriously, or should be if people are doing their jobs. Is everyone accused guilty? No, but a lot of stuff goes on.

I wasn't trying to make a point about domestic violence in general. Just this particular case.


The facts reported so far bear very little resemblance to the sadly common physically abusive relationship. The woman trashed his apartment, freaked out and then wouldn't leave the property when asked. In the end Erickson was only one who carried any lasting signs of physical damage and yet, after all this, he is the on who gets charged.


Believe me, I don't exactly feel sorry for they guy. He can afford a good lawyer and this case will most likely not even get plea bargained. In terms of Love Karma or whatever you want to call it he probably deserved what he got for cheating on her.

I think the facts may be very similar to a lot of cases. First question, police say victim was grabbed around the neck. Erickson says he grabbed her around the waist. Erickson has a bite mark on his arm. Is it more likely he was bitten when his arm was around her neck or her waist? Where is Ericksons foot wound? Is it located where someone getting strangled or grabbed by the hair might stomp in an effort to get away?


A lot of guys use exclusion from the house as a means to control the victim. Why didn't he call the cops when she was banging on the door instead of removing her bodily? No, this wasn't as bad as the guy who locked his wife out of the house for two months for eating something out of his freezer she wasn't supposed to, but there may be quite a lot beneath the surface here. I continue my disclaimer that he may be innocent, I don't know, etc...