A young Saint Lucie County nurse was charged with Battery, a first degree misdemeanor per Ch. 784.03, Fla. Stat., punishable by up to one (1) year in the county jail.
She was wrongfully charged based on the testimony of her husband’s child’s mother. The mother of her husband’s child, J.T., claimed that during a child exchange the nurse had hit her.
During this child exchange, J.T. showed up to the nurse’s home without permission. The nurse and her husband, knowing J.T was vindictive and aggressive., had always arranged for child exchanges to occur at the Port Saint Lucie Police Department. But this day, J.T. showed up at their home.
A battery conviction would threaten the young nurse’s career which had only just begun. She decided to go to trial to fight the false allegations. With preparation and advice from Attorney Stephanie McEnery, the nurse was able to describe what really happened that day. J.T. had gone to hit the nurse and the nurse pushed J.T. in self-defense.
Attorney Stephanie McEnery was able to introduce evidence that this was not the first time J.T. had been violent. She had previously exhibited aggressive behavior during child custody exchanges with the nurse present and the nurse had seen J.T. be violent before.
The nurse’s testimony and the evidence of J.T.’s prior aggressive behavior resulted in a NOT GUILTY verdict from the jury. The nurse was able to return to her career and move past the false allegations.
