Stacey Dash was arrested for domestic battery in Florida on Sept. 29 and Lee Pearlman, FL state criminal attorney, EXCLUSIVELY opened up to HL about the type of punishment she’s up against.
Stacey Dash, 52, made major headlines when she was arrested for domestic battery after allegedly attacking her husband Jeffrey Marty at their home in Pasco County, Florida on Sept. 29, and now a lawyer is opening up to us about what she could face next if ultimately convicted. Lee Pearlman, FL state criminal attorney, EXCLUSIVELY explained to HollywoodLife that the actress does have a possibility of getting the maximum sentence of one year in prison if certain circumstances play out.
“In Florida, it’s a first-degree misdemeanor,” he explained about the battery charge. “All first-degree misdemeanors are punishable by up to one year in the county jail and the fines are usually around $875. The normal outcome on these scenarios, especially when somebody doesn’t have a prior record is Domestic Violence Diversion Program. This generally involves a 26-week family violence counseling course and potentially some community service.”
“In Florida, there are certain types of criminal charges that are automatically filed when the police make an arrest,” he continued. “But battery is a charge that has to be investigated by the State Attorney. The State Attorney’s Office has to make a formal filing decision on whether that is a misdemeanor or a felony allegation. For the arrest in this scenario, they’re going to talk to the ‘victim,’ the police, and read the police report, and then they’re going to make a determination based on the evidence that does or doesn’t exist.”
Pasco Sheriff’s Office
Since this arrest is Stacey’s first, Marty believes she will receive more leniency but even if she’s ultimately charged, her sentencing will largely depend on how Jeffrey wants or doesn’t want to proceed with the case. “It’s heavily dependent on the victim,” he explained. “If the victim doesn’t want to see her prosecuted and get into too much trouble, then she’ll likely face a diversion program which is a year of supervision with that 26-week family violence counseling course, fines, and then once a month they’ll have to report to a probation or supervisory officer.”
Although Stacey’s case has been highly publicized because of the serious matter of the issue, her manager, Nick Terry, EXCLUSIVELY told us that no charges were ever actually issued against her and that after she was released on a $500 bond, no further action was or plan on being taken. “On the evening of Sunday, September 29, 2019, actress Stacey Dash and her husband had a marital dispute in their Tampa, FL suburb; Pasco County Deputies were dispatched to their residence. No charges were pressed by her husband, however, deputies arrested Ms. Dash peacefully, as a formality,” he explained. “Ms. Dash’s husband appeared in court today, September 30th, on her behalf and Ms. Dash was released from the Land O’ Lakes detention facility. No further legal action is pending.”
Sourse: hollywoodlife.com
