More Gender Bias: Woman Assaults Husband With an Axe

Women getting off easy.

Published on October 3, 2006 By Xythe In Entertainment

Linda Masse, a Laconia NH resident was charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest and criminal mischief after attacking her husband with an axe. The couple had been drinking when Mr. Masse declared he wanted to leave his wife, during an argument over their marriage.

The violence erupted when Masse grabbed a collector’s axe off the wall, and started to chase Mr. Masse around the house screaming that she was going to kill him.

The courts have defines the axe Masse was wielding as a weapon that could cause serious harm or death. Mrs. Masse in court referred to this lethal weapon as a toy.

Not only did Mrs. Masse vandalize her husbands’ car, she also destroyed several household articles, including a glass door.

Mr. Masse made his escape from his enraged, axe-wielding wife by running across the street to a neighbor’s house, locking the door, and calling the police.

The neighbor Jennifer Morrill says she saw the entire event from the start: "I saw the whole thing," Morrill said. "She went quiet for five minutes, and all of a sudden, she just cracked and went at him with an ax." She also says, "I was trying to convince her to put it down, but she wasn't listening to anybody."

Linda Masse was combative and resistive police say during her arrest and transport.

Well, it seems to me that because Masse is a woman, the charges placed upon her are quite lenient for her crimes.

Understand, this woman erupted violently, grabbed a lethal weapon of the wall, and chased her husband around the house until he could make his escape to a neighbor’s home and call police. She destroyed property both inside the house and Mr. Masses car outside with her "toy axe". She gave the police a bunch of flak and resisted her arrest.

And what? She is charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest and criminal mischief? WTF?

Chasing somebody around the house while swinging a deadly weapon, and damaging property during the chase is hardly an attempt at assault. It's straight up assault. Criminal mischief? A misdemeanor? You have got to be kidding me.

If any man had committed these criminal acts, he would undoubtedly be charged with Assault with the intent to commit bodily harm, assault with a dangerous/deadly weapon, maybe even attempted murder, and lastly without a doubt SPOUSAL ABUSE and DOMESTIC VIOLENCE! A man would not see daylight for at least 5 years - at LEAST.

Unfortunately this seems to be just another case of women getting off easy and yet another example of gender-bias in the courtroom.

It appears that justice really is blind, at least when it comes to female criminal behavior.

You can read the entire fiasco by clicking the link below.

Comments (Page 1)

Texas Wahine

on Oct 03, 2006

I'm not sure where you're getting the gender bias accusation from...it's just supposition on your part (unless there's more information about this case that you've read but not shared with your audience).

It's one thing to claim that the charges against her are lenient compared to other similar cases (of which you have provided no links or information), but quite another to insist that the charges are lenient BECAUSE she is a woman when there is no evidence (to my knowledge) to suggest such a thing.

If you've got more dirt on this case, feel free to enlighten me. As it stands, I'm not seeing the gender bias connection.

Texas Wahine

on Oct 03, 2006

PS - Isn't it usually the men who "get off" easy?

Xythe

on Oct 03, 2006

It's one thing to claim that the charges against her are lenient compared to other similar cases (of which you have provided no links or information), but quite another to insist that the charges are lenient BECAUSE she is a woman when there is no evidence (to my knowledge) to suggest such a thing.

I figure this is a no brainer. Anybody who has been involved in the legal system due to violence knows what charges go with what crimes. I also understand many people do not find themselves in these predicaments.

In that light, I'll hunt down a few situations for you; heres one:

Another man in the group, 19-year-old Charles Caughman, also faces aggravated assault charges. He is accused of threatening and chasing someone with a baseball bat. WWW Link

Well this guy has done about the same thing, though I consider a bat to be less lethal than an axe, but none the less this male has been charged with aggravated assault.

Now I'm not to sure if you understang how assaults become aggravated, thus elevated to felonies. If I hold an axe threatning you, I have commited an assault. If you try to get away, and I chase you down continueing the assault, thats felony aggravated assault.

So, why does this woman assulting a man with an axe recieve attempted assault, and this guy is charged with felony aggravated assault by use of a lesser weapon?

Xythe

on Oct 03, 2006

As it stands, I'm not seeing the gender bias connection.

Heres another:

While sitting at a business at the intersection of High Road and West Tharpe Street, Detective Lee Fuller observed a group of subjects, one armed with a baseball bat, chasing a single individual. Detective Fuller activated his siren to distract the subjects long enough to order them to stop. He then detained the subjects and waited for backup to arrive.

When back up arrived, Detective Fuller learned that the group of subjects was chasing the one individual because of an argument at a pay phone. According to reports, the victim was on the pay phone at the convenience store at the intersection when one of the subjects, Cameron Clayton, pulled in playing his car stereo loudly. The victim reported they argued about the loud music and during the argument Clayton displayed what the victim thought was a handgun. The victim reported they continued to have words and Clayton drove away. Instead of leaving the area, Clayton allegedly went across the street to the apartment complex and summoned the help of some friends. The victim reported Clayton and four friends came back to the store and began striking at him and chasing him. Witnesses to the disturbance confirmed the victim's account.

The subjects, identified as Christopher Stephens, Niles Jenkins, Harvey Brown, and Jonathon Robinson were detained and brought to the Sheriff's Office for interviews. All subjects admitted their involvement in the disturbance. They were all charged with assault except for John Robinson, who was allegedly armed with the bat. He was charged with Aggravated Assault.

Link

Again, all the men other than Robinson, the man with the bat, were charged with assault, Robinson, aggravated assault. If Linda Masse commited this crime with her axe against this poor victim, she gets attempted assault? Whats with that?

Arlya

on Oct 03, 2006

I guess you've never heard of Amy Jones' case. =/ Her husband tried to kill her in a hotel room, in what one of the officers called the bloodiest crime scene he'd seen. (She was bludgeoned with a flashlight, then he tried to smother her and drown her in the tub) They considered him a first time domestic abuse offender, so he wasn't charge initally with attempted murder and was released after 24 hours. A few weeks later he returned and hid in her van, despite the restraining order and shot her in the head, twice. She survived, yet he's sitting in a jail cell for only 30 years. Even in jail he's tried to hire a hitman against her. Yeah, us women just get the easy breaks when it comes to the law.

jennifer1

on Oct 03, 2006

Dr Guy

on Oct 03, 2006

Damn! You mean there is more than one woman like my Ex-wife?

But I will draw one distinction between your examples. The 2 you cite were not domestic in nature. The Courts are generally more lenient on domestic cases (and that is not necessarily a good thing) than on 2 non-related people.

Xythe

on Oct 03, 2006

Because she is smaller and weaker than him and the damage inflicted would be that of a mosquito biting you?

Absolutely! Because women are generally smaller and weaker than men. However, she sure did a good number on his car as well as the glass door.

They probably bargained the charges down?

Im not sure at this point Jen as she has just been arrained on the charges listed. You watch, this lady will walk out of that court and never spend a night jail as a convicted ciminal.

She survived, yet he's sitting in a jail cell for only 30 years.

HHmmmm. Only 30 years? I see you have never spent so much as a day in jail have you? 30 years is more than 1/3 of a persons life. Actually, 30 years is quite a sentance for attempted murder, it's usually 20 years or so.

If you can bare a little sarcasm: Amys husband did not get sentanced for attempt, but rather for violating his restraining order

Well, Amy's husband as you say was at least charged with Domestic Violence.

Anyway, thats just my point. Masse should not have been released, as she is certainly capable of murduring her husband, so say her actions concerning the axe.

............................................................

Police say 50-year-old Linda Masse's husband reported that she chased him through their house with an axe, swung it at him and missed, shattering a glass door.WWW Link

Swinging an axe at somebody and missing them, shattering a glass door is a no-brainer for aggravated assault with a dangerous/deadly weapon at the least. I call that attempted murder/manslaughter.

Attempted assault is a joke. A witness already said she actually performed the assault.

Linda Masse: "I didn't threaten him or to kill him or anything". No she just repeatedly swung an axe trying to hit him with enough force to at least bust a glass door. Duh, well Mrs. Masse, what was your intent?

Xythe

on Oct 03, 2006

Damn! You mean there is more than one woman like my Ex-wife?

You better believe it Doc!!

momijiki

on Oct 03, 2006

Xythe, what is the real purpose of your article? I'm really curious. These drop in the bucket examples of women perpertrating violence towards men does NOTHING to address the issue of domestic violence and the acceptance of violence against women in society.

Both genders commit violence. If that is your point, then fine. If I bothered, I could probably find a lot of instances where a man did something as equally horrible to another woman and got off easy. Oh, wait! I bet it might be kind of hard to find, because a lot of violence against women doesn't even make it to the courtroom anyway. People look the other way, and dang, it's just so common that it's not really interesting news. After all, if it doesn't have some kind of novelty shock value, then if it doesn't bleed then it doesn't lead. And really, if the woman had just chased the guy with some less "glamorous" item would it have even made a blip on the media?

Should people be punished equally under the law? It's the ideal, isn't it? But for right or wrong, effectual or ineffectual, sometimes when there is a bias like that, it reflects an awareness that there is an unbalance in society before even getting to the courtroom. Did this woman's treatment fix that imbalance? No.

But really, what is the point of this article? To let us know that women commit violence? That justice isn't perfect? That sometimes a woman gets away with what a hell of a lot of men have and still continue to get away with if the actually are brought to face justice? Is it to justify the continued violence against women because every once in a while some women commit violence, too?

Caracarn1

on Oct 03, 2006

Yeah, a man definately would have gotten far far worse charges. The domestic alone is enough to keep you in jail. Let alone if you have an axe in your hand...

Xythe

on Oct 03, 2006

Xythe, what is the real purpose of your article?

Its been pretty much printed, all you need to do is read:

"More Gender Bias"

"Well, it seems to me that because Masse is a woman, the charges placed upon her are quite lenient for her crimes."

"If any man had committed these criminal acts, he would undoubtedly be charged with Assault with the intent to commit bodily harm, assault with a dangerous/deadly weapon, maybe even attempted murder, and lastly without a doubt SPOUSAL ABUSE and DOMESTIC VIOLENCE! A man would not see daylight for at least 5 years - at LEAST."

"Unfortunately this seems to be just another case of women getting off easy and yet another example of gender-bias in the courtroom."

It seems as caracarn1's reply might help you understand:

Yeah, a man definately would have gotten far far worse charges. The domestic alone is enough to keep you in jail. Let alone if you have an axe in your hand...

Sorry, I thought I was writing in English

These drop in the bucket examples of women perpertrating violence towards men does NOTHING to address the issue of domestic violence and the acceptance of violence against women in society.

Not the purpose of the article; addressing domestic violence. Though this lady clearly commited this crime and was not charged with it. Thank you for highlighting that issue.

Personally, I do not feel many people accept violence against women, or anybody for that matter.

I could probably find a lot of instances where a man did something as equally horrible to another woman and got off easy.

Please do so, I would be interested in seeing some; 2 or 3 will do.

...because a lot of violence against women doesn't even make it to the courtroom anyway.

How interesting. Where are your statistics? What is your source for this bold statement?

And really, if the woman had just chased the guy with some less "glamorous" item would it have even made a blip on the media?

Unfortunately she did not, but rather used a lethal weapon.

But really, what is the point of this article?

Please refer to the top of this reply.

I think after you actually understand the words in type, you will see why I won't adress the rest of your questions...they are simply unrelated to the topic at hand.

Xythe

on Oct 03, 2006

Yeah, a man definately would have gotten far far worse charges. The domestic alone is enough to keep you in jail. Let alone if you have an axe in your hand...

You bet your ass!

Dr Guy

on Oct 03, 2006

I applaud your resolve, yet you did avoid my point. No matter. My ex proves your point (at least to me!)

feisty_in_ohio

on Oct 03, 2006

I agree - the charges should have been more serious.
Women's Lib was suppose to be about equal rights - so she gets short-changed on the charges. That's not equal justice.
There are many examples of the double standard. Take that goofy blonde teacher screwing around with a student - the lawyer said she's too pretty to go to jail. If a male teacher's attorney said that, womens groups would go balistic!
The women's groups are not pro-women - they have become anti-men.

Hopefully he won't get back together with this woman.

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