Fighting with someone you care about can be a difficult situation; it often feels as though neither person is really listening to the other. But here’s one solution that has been legally been proven not to work: Duct-taping your girlfriend’s mouth to “make her listen.”
A Port St. Lucie man accused in October 2008 of binding a woman’s hands and taping her mouth shut “so she would listen,” was sentenced Thursday to 90 days in the St. Lucie County Jail, a year of community control and a year of probation.
Kevin John Franco, 34, pleaded no contest in February to charges of felony false imprisonment, misdemeanor battery and tampering with a witness. In levying the sentence, Circuit Judge Dan Vaughn gave Franco credit for 31 days he’s already spent in jail.
According to an arrest affidavit, the woman said she was sleeping in her bed when she woke up to find Franco on top of her, binding her hands with heavy-duty plastic ties and putting duct tape on her mouth.
“Yes, I tied her hands and I taped her mouth closed,” the report states Franco told officers, “but only so she would listen.”
Well, that’s certainly one way to calm things down. But I’m not sure tying her hands was a necessary part of the Campaign to Make Her Listen, unless she has a penchant for putting a finger in each ear and going, “LA LA LA LA.” In which case, I’d encourage Mr. Franco to find a woman older than 12 years old to ply his wares with in the future.
Tragically, I’d have to imagine their relationship won’t be able to rebound from this one. They don’t make Hallmark cards saying, “Sorry I Bound and Gagged You.” Well, at least not anywhere outside of the tourist areas of Mexico. Say what you will about their criminal presence, but the people know manners. |
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