Chapter 12 - Cullen Did Not Pretend the Punch and Slap Were Perfect Decisions
Chase attacked first.
The footage and witnesses confirmed it.
Cullen moved Mireya behind Margaret.
Chase swung.
Cullen dodged and struck once.
Tove later tried to flee with Margaret’s handbag.
Cullen stopped her, took the bag, then slapped her.
That second action was harder to justify.
The bag was already back in his control.
Mireya was protected.
Tove was no longer reaching for the child.
Cullen admitted:
“I was furious.”
His attorney asked:
“Was the slap necessary to recover the evidence?”
“No.”
He did not hide behind fatherhood.
He had stopped Chase’s physical attack.
He had stopped Tove taking the bag.
Then anger carried him one action farther.
Cullen took responsibility for that separately.
He wanted Mireya someday to hear the complete version.
Not:
Dad hurt people because he loved you.
But:
Dad protected you, and Dad also made one choice from anger that he had to own.
May you like
Those are different lessons.
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