Chapter 8 - I Had To Account For What I Did To Cole And Elena
Cole stole from my daughter.
Elena wore what belonged to her.
Elena also kicked Mia’s braced leg.
None of that made my punch and slap disappear.
I hit Cole after he rushed toward me.
Maybe I reasonably believed he was going to attack.
Maybe not.
Video showed his hands forward, but no weapon.
The situation was chaotic.
My attorney told me not to build moral certainty where the evidence was ambiguous.
The slap was clearer.
Elena charged toward me after Cole fell.
I turned and slapped her.
Once.
She had not yet struck me.
Whatever danger I perceived, I could have created distance.
So I owned it.
I gave a full statement.
Did not claim perfect self-defense.
Did not say:
“She deserved it.”
That sentence would have taught Mia exactly the wrong thing.
When my daughter later asked:
“Did you hit them because they were bad?”
I answered:
“I hit them because I was angry and afraid.”
“Was that okay?”
“Not all of it.”
She frowned.
“But Elena kicked me.”
“I know.”
“So she did worse.”
“Yes.”
“Then you can still do something wrong?”
“Yes.”
Mia thought for several seconds.
“That’s annoying.”
I almost laughed.
“Very.”
But that distinction mattered.
May you like
Justice should not require turning ourselves into heroes.
---
