My husband is threatening me.

My husband threatened to kill me. What should I do?

Believe the threats. Family violence has warnings, usually years of verbal threats. Believe the threats. It is time to act. A threat is a crime. Making threats is a crime. If you live in the City of Tyler, Texas, call the police at 903-531-1000. If you live in the county, call the Sheriff. If your husband has been under a protective order, pled guilty, or paid a fine for family violence, or is a felon and has a gun, tell the police. File a complaint, get a case number. Do this each time you are threatened. Make a zero tolerance for threats and violence. Go to a safe place. Take a moment to listen to your intuition. If your intuition says you need to go to a place of safety, go. As a practicing attorney, I learned that when the wife goes to stay with daddy, things calm down. There's just something about that grumpy old guy with the shotgun. If that is not in the picture, then call the Crisis Center 903-509-2526 for Smith County, or 903-586-9118 for Cherokee and Anderson County. The Crisis Center will have a place for you and your children. Your lawyer. Call your lawyer. A protective order can be prepared and filed. He may have other ideas that will be helpful. His staff also needs to know that they may be in danger too. Code Messages: Talk to your family, friends, and co-workers about a code phrase which is a signal of danger and call for help. Asking a co-worker, "Could you bring me the Dr. Smith file?" could be a message to call the police, my husband is here and I am in danger. Calling your mother and asking, "Could I borrow your car? could be the same message. The Bottom Line: Take a threat seriously. Report threats to the police. Go to a place of safety. Tell your lawyer. Only living clients pay legal bills; your lawyer is on your side.

George Conner
www.georgeconnerlaw.com