These two letters document a crime:
Joseph A. Pecoraro was found guilty of battery, a form of physical assault. The court ordered him to pay restitution for my bloodied shirt and damaged sunglasses. His conviction was expunged upon expiration of court ordered supervision. As the victim in the case, I’m not bound by agreements Pecoraro made as part of his sentencing. The letters are my property.
My injuries were serious enough that I had to go to a hospital emergency room for treatment. At the time I had medical insurance through an employer, so the defendant didn’t have to pay for medical treatment.
Initially I didn’t think the injuries were that serious because there wasn’t much pain. As I soon found out, the real damage was to the tissue beneath the skin. By the next day, I was in a lot of pain and my face was swollen. I went to the Emergency Room at Edward Hospital in Naperville. As I recall, they prescribed antibiotics, dressed the wound, and administered a tetanus shot because Pecoraro had been wearing a ring.
Pecoraro had friends (whose names I remember) that lived down the hall from me in Three Wheaton Center in Wheaton, Illinois. I was living in # 603 and across the hall was a retired Catholic priest who was also friendly with those tenants.
I wasn’t attacked in the apartment complex, but at a traffic intersection in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. I was aged 40 and Pecoraro was in his mid-to-late 20′s. Witnesses called the police. The witnesses were irate because I was trying to cover my face with my arms as Pecoraro hit me. After the incident Pecoraro and a passenger fled the scene. Evidently Pecoraro feared he’d be arrested because a note had been made of his license plate number, so he turned himself in.
$100.00 plus court costs and $55.00 restitution sounds like a slap on the wrist, but Pecoraro had to hire an attorney, so his actual costs related to the crime were probably much higher.
I think the priest was an agitator who had a hand in getting me roughed up.
Some offenders attempt to intimidate their victims into whitewashing or overlooking the crime.
This situation is exactly why Missouri has a tough harassment law:
Harassment is a huge problem in the United States. It can escalate into violence and even murder. Missouri’s tough harassment law aims to stop harassment before it escalates.
According to Missouri Revised Statutes, Chapter 565, “Offenses Against the Person,” Section 565.090, Sub-sections 1–(5) & (6):
A person commits the crime of harassment if he or she:
“Knowingly makes repeated unwanted communication to another person; or
Without good cause engages in any other act with the purpose to frighten, intimidate, or cause emotional distress to another person, cause such person to be frightened, intimidated, or emotionally distressed, and such person’s response to the act is one of a person of average sensibilities considering the age of the person.”
The first offense is a Class A Misdemeanor. Subsequent violations are Class D Felonies.
If you have an ex-spouse or ex-love interest who can’t accept the end of the relationship, or have any relationship personal or organizational in which the other party won’t let you go, you know why this law is necessary.
Harassment is often of a personal nature: the tormentor wants to bring the victim down to the tormentor’s “level.” Harassment is psychological abuse. Those who engage in harassment are attempting to undermine the autonomy of the individual.
Missouri takes harassment seriously. It’s a crime.
You can read the entire statute at:
http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C500-599/5650000090.HTM
Click on the link or copy and paste the link into your browser.
Harassment is often linked with stalking. Missouri takes stalking seriously, too.
Missouri Revised Statutes, Chapter 565, “Offenses Against The Person,” Section 565.225, Section (2) states:
“A person commits the crime of stalking if he or she purposely, through his or her course of conduct, harasses or follows with the intent of harassing another person.”
According to Section 6:
“Any law enforcement officer may arrest, without a warrant, any person he or she has probable cause to believe has violated the provisions of this section.”
As with harassment, the first offense is a Class A Misdemeanor and subsequent offenses are Class D Felonies.
See:
http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c500-599/5650000225.htm
Click on the link or copy and paste the link into your browser.
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If you’re being harassed or stalked, involve law enforcement before someone harms you.














