SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Today, Democrats on the Assembly Committee on Public Safety killed legislation that would have protected victims of domestic violence. Assembly Bill 2462 by Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach) would have required a judge or magistrate to consider whether a victim of domestic violence had been strangled or suffocated before allowing their aggressor to post bail.

“It is vital that we give victims of domestic violence time to seek help and get away from their abusers,” Harper said. “I am disappointed that Capitol Democrats do not want to help them from being trapped in the agonizing cycle of domestic violence.”

Experts across the medical profession agree that manual or ligature strangulation is “lethal force” and is one of the best predictors of a future homicide in domestic violence cases. According to The Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, the odds for homicide increase 750% for victims who have been previously strangled, compared to victims who have never been strangled.

“No woman should ever have to experience what I experienced. It is shameful that Democrats voted against the rights of victims today.” said Patricia Wellman, a domestic violence victim who brought this bill idea to Assemblyman Harper. “After my husband strangled me, he was released from jail in fewer than three hours. For the next five weeks, he stalked me. If he had gone in front of a judge, I would never have had to struggle with this life-threatening ordeal.”

Assemblyman Matthew Harper represents the 74th Assembly District; he is the former Mayor of the City of Huntington Beach. The 74th Assembly District includes the cities of Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Woods & Laguna Beach.