20-year defense atty. shares insights on domestic violence amid case against teen client


WARREN

At the first pretrial hearing Tuesday for Bresha Meadows, her defense attorney and a community organization focused on domestic violence.

She is charged with aggravated murder in the July 28 shooting death of her father at their Hunter Street Northwest home.

One member of Bresha’s family told reporters the day of the killing that the death was the result of “20 years of abuse” by her father, Jonathan Meadows Sr., 41, against members of his family.

Bresha, 15, is being detained in the Trumbull County Juvenile Justice Center. Her next hearing will be at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 6.

Atty. Ian Friedman of Cleveland, who represents Bresha, told reporters after the hearing he has been surprised since starting on the case at how “widespread” the problem of domestic violence is. He’s been a defense attorney for 20 years, he noted.

“We’re also seeing, believe it or not – a number of folks have reached out to me since this case began who have shared their personal stories ... where they as children had to act in a similar fashion [as Bresha] to protect themselves or their parents or loved one,” he said.

“So is this a common situation? No, but it’s not quite as rare as I would have thought.”

Read more about the case in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.