Tuesday, June 26, 2007

A sordid relationship

I don’t know if you’ve been following the story of Bobby Cutts Jr., but this thing is starting to get ugly. I tell you: it's stories like this make me happy to be single and childless.

Anyway, Cutts; an Ohio police officer, has been charged with the killing his girlfriend and the couple’s second baby which was due to be born next week. The story was first aired during a statewide search of the pregnant woman, Jessie Marie Davis of Ohio. What started out as being another example of America’s missing white women syndrome; turned into something much more nefarious.

I’m confident that this story will stay in the news for a long, long time. I mean, the key elements in this case are (1) an violent black police officer, (2) a white girlfriend with children (3) an interracial relationship, (4) attempted cover up and (5) domestic abuse and -- ultimately -- murder. I can just see Nancy Grace drooling over this story as we speak.

I remember when men who didn’t want to assume parental roles just left and accepted their label as a deadbeat dad. Now they just plain deadly dads. What in the heck is going on in this world?!

-ACL

25 "Insiders" spoke their mind. Join in...:

Anonymous said...

I heard about this story. It's too sickening for words. It's like Scott Peterson has been reborn through this guy.

I would never advocate breaking up families, but since when has killing the girlfriend and child become a more viable option for a man than just walking out?!

I don't support the death penalty. But in this case I might be willing to make an exception.

Anonymous said...

Dre, one of your problems (and the rest of the media who has already crucified this guy) is that you've already rushed to judgement. Things have a way of making their way to surface that could easily determine guilt or innocence. But the court of public opinion by that point has already been set, making any other discoveries irrelevant.

I remember with the Duke Lacrosse case, people were quick to cast blame even after the credibility of the two girls was called into question. It's that type of pyschology that makes it easy for people (especially us black folks) to disregard facts and allow emotion to take over. Maybe this man is guilty. Maybe he's not. Presumed guilt is a dangerous practice, even if the guy had the bloody murder in his hand.

What bothers me even more is this Nikki chick who has somehow found her way into the spotlight. I think that you (being the conspiracy theorist you are) will agree with me that she's just some opportunist; some fame-seeker looking to get some exposure out of this. She would do much more in terms of support if she directed it toward the victim's family and not toward adding to the guilty sentencing placed on Cutts by the public.

But the bottom line is: this is a horrible tragedy. That's the most important thing to take out of all of this.

Anonymous said...

Cynthia, I agree with your take on that Nikki woman. I also think you made some great points about maintaining objectivity in the face of what appears to be guilt. But the facts of the case suggest that he was involved. Between the cell phone calls to his friend, the ridiculous reasoning to try disposing the body instead of calling 911, and his attempt to clean up any DNA evidence, his credibility is shot. What’s worse is that this all happened in front of the other child. I’m for the death penalty. If this son of bitch is guilty then that’s exactly what he deserves. But you’re right when you say that this needs to be resolved in the court and not in the public.

Speaking of the public, where do think Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are right now? If this story involved a white cop abusing a black pregnant women, they’d be protesting all over the place. Funny how they’re silent on this one.

Anonymous said...

Andre, when you pointed out how Cutts’ status as a black man will be germane to this case, aren’t you basically trying to defend this man based on his race? This has shades of OJ written all over it; where black men will get sympathize with and celebrated even if the evidence is against them. In the OJ case, I understand where blacks were coming from. The “system” that historically oppressed blacks now screwed white people. I get that. But at what point do we move on?
The way I see it simple. There will be two types of views out there: Those who see this as a case involving a dead woman and her child; where justice needs to be met and those who use the black criminal/white victim storyline as a surrogate to incite race debates.

Andre said...

@ Joanne: I'm not supporting his actions (alleged or otherwise), but I understand why he would be driven to do this. If he didn't want to face the pressures of child support, marriage, or dealing with this woman he might be driven to kill; especially if he's crazy enough. But I've got a solution to that: if you don't want those hassles, stop having sex! It's no secret that women often manipulate men by puncturing condoms or not taking pills; get pregnant, and then try to entrap the man. I'm not saying that happened in this case or that it happens often. But it DOES happen. So the way I see is: don't engage in the act is you can't (or don't want to) handle the possible outcomes.

@ Cyn: (1) To this day, I STILL think the Duke guys are guilty as hell. They were just able to use their privilege and their status to circumvent the legal system. I mean, they were up against a single mother; stripping her way through college and to support her child. This was a slam dunk. Their money bought her silence.

(2) Fortunately, I'm not on the jury. I think this guy is guilty as hell. Contrary to what you might think, I'm not basing that emotion or impulse. I'm basing it on this dude's actions which -- to date -- have gone uncontroverted.

(3) I agree with you on the whole opportunistic Nikki bit. If she REALLY wanted to help, she would stop trying to be psychologist and be a support system to the victims.

@ anonymous: I try not to presume guilt or innocence, but the facts you presented further my belief that this guy is guilty. Unlike you however, I don't believe in the death penalty.

Regarding the Sharpton/Jackson thing, I already addressed the double standard thing in a previous post. You won't get much argument from me there.

@ J. Alex: First of all, thank you for being to acknowledge the phenomenon behind blacks and the OJ simpson case. Most white Americans to this day haven't figured that out. It's refreshing.

To speak to your main point; for me this story has NEVER been about race. To me, this story involves a man who killed his girlfriend and (though I'm pro-choice) a baby who was -- for all intents and purposes -- alive. Undoubtedly the media and maybe the courts will make this about race. Let's not pretend the black man/white victim storyline won't play a role in how this case shapes out. I'm not.

If anything, I would make this case a prime example of how black folks don't need to be supporting a suspect JUST BECAUSE he's black. Yes, many black men are victimized by the system because of fallacious charges. No, they're not ALL innocent.

True issues of race WILL come up. Should they? Well, that's to be debated, now isn't it? :)

Anonymous said...

Like you, Dre I plan on repenting once I say this. But dammit it needs to be said. Everybody's talking about Bobby Cutts, Jr and his role in this tragedy. But where does Jessie Davis play a role? I mean, she knew he was crazy (she mentioned that to her family before), she knew he was married, had other children out there, and had a history of abuse. Yet she went on and had his baby. I'm certainly not saying that she got what she deserved (I know that's how it sounds, but that's not what I'm saying at all), but she surely knew what she was getting into. For all we know, she actually PLANNED to get pregnant with him. Stranger things have happened. I can feel the eyes in the room burning into me now.

Malik Akbar said...

Andre:

Leaving the individual actions of Jesse and Al aside, why is having advocates who dedicate their time primarily or even solely to Black people and their causes a bad thing?

And I agree, this case will inevitably bring up the racial shame/racial stereotyping dynamic that's present whenever an individual Black person messes up. ("Why did it have to be a brother?/What's wrong with you people?")

Andre said...

KC, if anybody else plans on hanging you outside your window, it won't be me. You raise a good point.

True story: I know a guy (won't name names). He had a one night stand with a girl. Never had contact with her again (in fact, didn't even get a last name). Three years later (and after he moves across the country), he gets a call out of the blue from this girl demanding that he pay child support for a child HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT HE HAD. She knew all along that she was pregnant but didn't tell him until three years later (when she needed money no less). The point is: many women out there really ARE full of sh** and they often concoct schemes to trap men for vindictive reasons. You'll get no argument from me there. But is that deserving of a death sentence? Even if this Davis girl was trying to set Cutts up with this pregnancy, did she deserve to die for it? That's the ultimate point.

I think it's important not rationalize the victim's "role" in the story so much that we lose sight of the inhumanity that made them a victim in the first place.

Andre said...

@ Malik:

"Leaving the individual actions of Jesse and Al aside, why is having advocates who dedicate their time primarily or even solely to Black people and their causes a bad thing?"

Truthfully, I really don't think it's a bad thing at all. In fact, I think it's necessary to combat precipitating social ills that contribute to the disintegration of the black community; corporate, political, legal, or otherwise. In fact, what I think is MORE shameful are the Cosby-esque cats out there who place the blame SOLELY on black folks and meet black victimization with antipathy just because they themselves were able to "make it". I've got no problem with fighters for black causes. If it's done opportunistically or at the expense of the expense of Black America, they need to get called out.

To address your other point:

"this case will inevitably bring up the racial shame/racial stereotyping dynamic that's present whenever an individual Black person messes up. ("Why did it have to be a brother?/What's wrong with you people?")"

No doubt. The facts of the case and its merits will undoubtedly take a backseat to the racial elements involved. They always do. Disconcerting, huh?

Anonymous said...

"I think it's important not rationalize the victim's "role" in the story so much that we lose sight of the inhumanity that made them a victim in the first place."

Great comment, Dre. Even if the girl was a spiteful and cunning Jezebel, getting killed because of it isn't the way to go.

The H.C. said...

Hey Dre,
I agree with Cynthia. We should definately give Cutts the benenfit of the doubt until he's proven guilty. The rush to judgment on the Duke players was sickening. University professors at Duke were putting up posters of them as whip-armed slavemasters just because they assumed rich white kids get away with everything. We always have to be careful not to allow ourselves to be sucked into judgment based on race. Just to even things out, did anyone see the WWE wrestler who murdered his wife and kid? http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/index?section=nation_world&id=3228304 Christ, what's this world coming to when people kill their own children. Bears have better parenting skills than we do anymore.

Anonymous said...

Why thank you, HC! I see you've figured out that the best way to a woman's heart is to agree with everything she says. Now if we can get Andre to figure that out. LOL.

Also, I haven't been able to stop hearing about the Chris Benoit case since he lives here in Georgia. It's an interesting parallel to the Cutts story (minus the all important racial element). Both are disgusting displays of frightening violence by sociopaths (whoever they may be).

Andre said...

@ Cynthia: Gimme a break already, Cyn. HC's a married man...
@ Both of you: From what you heard about the Benoit story, who's the killer? All I've found is that the three were dead in a double-murder/suicide. But it doesn't say WHO did the killing.

The H.C. said...

Your welcome Cynthia,
I agree with you most of the time, I just didn't want to seem like a shameless suck-up. Actually, I did hear quite often from my friends that I would do better with the ladies if I didn't argue with them so much. But once you get over that flaw, what you get is really me, and you don't have to wonder if I'm playing you.
@ Andre,
I assumed that Chris Benoit killed his wife and kid, but I don't know if they came right out and said it. By the way, did you like Mike's film?

Anonymous said...

AS a worker in the legal profesion, let me be the first to let ALL of you know that stories that are told to the media are almost ALWAYS wrong. Have you ever been following a story (through the media) where you just KNEW that the person was guilty but when the verdict came back they were not guilty? It's because the jury is protected (as much as possible) from the media outlets so that only the TRUTH comes out. Keep in mind that 90% of what has been told to the media iss through the voices of neighbors and passer-bys.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS GUY IS INNOCENT OR GUILTY

I'm merely stating that you guys have no eartly idea how far decption goes in the media and in law. Sometimes I wish that people could see what I see, you wouldnt believe it....

Anonymous said...

Sadly, I find absolutely nothing about this story to be shocking. A pregnant woman being murdered (albeit allegedly) by her cop boyfriend pales in comparison to other stories I've come across. Parents putting babies in microwaves? Other parents shocking their newborn w/ a tazer? Hell, & thats just in the last few months. If I've become desensitized to a degree, to the increasingly horrible news of the day, then what of my children? What will they grow up seeing, hearing, & most importantly thinking is normal? That is what concerns me about this mess more than anything else.

@ Joslyn: Unlike you I am not in the biz, so forgive me if I am asking ridiculously silly questions. Isn't the fact that the cop ex-boyfriend was actually arrested pretty much stating that the DA has something fairly solid on this guy? I mean, arresting me, or Andre, or pretty much anybody else reading this is one thing to 'them'...but a cop? I would guess that going to that extent (essentially ruining his career/life, innocent or not, & done so by people on 'his side' no less) implies as much.

-n

Anonymous said...

Hey Nic,

Yes, you're correct. That's a fair statement. However, try to think outside the box:

1. Why would a police officer of 15+ years (who, mind you, has probably seen hundreds of murder scences and investigations)be as sloppy to kill her in front of the child?

2. Did he kill her, or just make the arrangements? Is there another responsible party in this case?


Again, like I said, I'm not saying that he's innocent. But you can be guilty without actually commiting the murder...

Andre said...

@ Jos: Bankruptcy firm = Media (?). You'll have to make sense of out that for me.

But I get the your ultimate point about media distortion. There are several stories from analysts, academics, and former media agents themselves who have shared stories on how news coverage is manipulated before it hits the screen at 6:00. How particular "witnesses" are interviewed, how editing is done to distort things, what things the news editors decide to air and when they air it, what types of teasers to use, what types of ticker/captions to use. The list goes on and on. Even the fact that if you go to major internet news sources (Yahoo, CNN, Fox News, MSN, etc), Cutts' mugshot is used instead of using a picture of the victim or the crime scene, etc.

In many respects, mainstream American media is no different than media that is government-controlled. Sad, huh?

@ Nic: Like you, I don't think the story is shocking at all. But given American's obsession with missing white women, I'm also not suprised at the attention it's been receiving.

All the same, shocking or not, the story itself is still pretty appalling. The elements of disgust in this case (and others like it) far outweigh the shock value of it. As long as we teach our children to view these incidents as atrocities, we won't have to worry about their desensitization of them. At least that's what I think.

@ Jos (part II):

"1. Why would a police officer of 15+ years (who, mind you, has probably seen hundreds of murder scences and investigations)be as sloppy to kill her in front of the child?"

I agree that the crime MAY HAVE BEEN pretty sloppy for someone who served in the force for years. But, I don't think this guy was in forensics. Don't quote me on this, but I don't think that regular patrolman are as knowledgable with forensic evidence as speciality cops. Aside from that, the kid who witnessed the murder is only two; hardly cognizant enough to be a credible witness. Hell, he probably can't even speak yet.

"2. Did he kill her, or just make the arrangements? Is there another responsible party in this case?

Again, like I said, I'm not saying that he's innocent. But you can be guilty without actually commiting the murder...
"

It'll be interesting to see what happens if he's found not guilty. Will the case go to civil court; the weapon of choice against people who may not be convicted of the crime but suspected to be involved? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Anonymous said...

LOL..

I don't work for a "firm", and I never said that I work for media. I said that I work in law. Bankruptcy=federal law. I go to court every week and believe me, attorney's know how to distort the truth.

As far as police work goes, I have many family members and friends who are police officers. I'mnot sure where you got "patrolman" from, but when someone is breaking in your house, they don't call the dectetive, the call the police offiers. Police are the ones who collect evidence and even stand o trial in cases, testifying to what they witnessed. After years and years...you pick up on some things....

My own personal belief is that he did it all by himself, and that it was a passion crime...meaning...he wasn't planning it but maybe they got in an argument and he before he knew it he took it too far. However, I just want to encourage people to look beyond the obvious sometime. Just like with this wrstler story: They are already saying that it wass because of steriods that he comminted the murder/suicide, but they haven't received his toxology reports back yet! He could've been JUST PLAIN CRAZY!

Andre said...

Uh...Jos. Me, Andre. You, Joslyn.

Anyway, I guess I was looking at it from a different angle. I thought that you were saying that people in your biz were the agents responsible for what gets on the news. To an extent, you'd be correct. But the power to disseminate messages goes a way deeper than that. The real power of the media (especially pertaining to what does and doesn't get aired) belongs to other players. Input of pundits, "experts", and interviewees is allowed at the executive's discretion.

Most of the articles I've read up to this point identify this dude as a patrolmen; who's training usually doesn't include forensics. Contrary to fictitious shows like SVU and CSI, the officers aren't usually the ones who handle that type of stuff (not to the same extent that crime lab scientists would). So it's possible that this dude really DID just get unwittingly sloppy.

The whole point of the media involving the DNA/forensic angle was to show that there was an attempt to remove any physical evidence from the scene. A sign of guilt? I guess that's for a jury to decide.

Andre said...

By the way, I also peeped out the Benoit story. I guess people are now saying that he officially did the killing.

I'm starting to put together my own theories about what happened in each case. I think that both of dudes snapped because of pressure put on them for various reasons (for Benoit: perhaps pressure from his wife about his 'roid use or wrestling-related issues led to his actions; for Cutts: the pressure of fathering this girls baby and possibly juggling this affair with his marriage was his breaking point).

If I said it once, I'll say it a thousand times: I'm glad I'm single...

Anonymous said...

Sorry Dre!

See, that's what I get cause I shoulda been working!!!

heiresschild said...

it happens more often than people are aware of. when some lady went missing a couple of years ago, our local newspaper here did an article about many women (all races) who had disappeared and were later found dead because of men, usually boyfriends, who would rather kill them than support the children. some were convicted, but others are still free because there wasn't enough evidence to link them to the murders even though it's thought to be them. in a couple of those cases, the women told the men they didn't have to pay them anything, and they wouldn't bother them for support, but the man still killed them.

i agree that regardless of how manipulative or vindictive this lady might have been, she nor her baby deserved to die that way.

Andre said...

@ Jos: No worries. When I think about all the time I've spent blogging when I should've been doing work. I could've had my thesis finished three times over with all the blog work I've done.

@ Heirress: Sylvia, you'll get no argument from me. Even after pointing out the reality that women are often manipulative, I'm certainly not implying that they deserve death as their punishment.

But I do think that people (especially women, but certainly not exclusive to them) can learn tons from this story and others like it. Namely that sex, affairs, one-night stands, unexpected/unwanted pregnancy, bad break-ups, money, and commitments under duress (i.e. marriage) are usually common denominators that spell bad news. People need to exercise caution to avoid getting into these types of precarious situations.

Anonymous said...

Hmm,

Maybe all American's should be required to take anger management classes! It's not a race thing anymore....we are a killing nation!!