Dad assaults mom, 1-year-old son; media blames mom for using son as "human shield" (Jacksonville, Florida)

This is a prominent example of pro-father/pro-criminal bias in the media.

If you were to casually glance at the headline below, you would probably classify this case with all the cases where fathers use infants or small children as "human shields." These are nearly always cases where a volatile father has acted in a threatening manner towards other family members, or has assaulted or killed someone. The police are called. There is a standoff, with Daddy barricading himself in the house and using the child as leverage against a police attack.

This mother wasn't acting in a criminal fashion at all. She was acting in SELF-DEFENSE. Dad DEVIN JUAN WILKES had already assaulted Mom (beaten her). He had ALREADY THROWN THE BABY on the floor. Now he's coming at Mom with a knife, and she instictively grabs the baby. This is NOT a human shield case. This is the case of a violent father assaulting his partner and child.

Shame on the media for insinuating otherwise.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/05/2574562/woman-used-baby-as-shield-during.html

Woman used baby as shield during fight his dad
Posted on Thursday, 01.05.12
Posted on Thursday, 01.05.12
The Associated Press


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Police say a 22-year-old woman held up her year-old son as a human shield during a fight with the child's father.

The Florida Times-Union (http://bit.ly/y9jmkH) reports 24-year-old Devin Juan Wilkes now faces multiple charges stemming from the December attack in the couple's Jacksonville apartment. He was arrested Monday and is being held on $500,000 bond.

A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report indicates the man threw the child face-first to the floor as he continued hitting Sheena Hunter. The fight started as she took a bath and continued a few minutes later in the bedroom.

Police say Wilkes started waving a knife at Hunter, who grabbed their son in hopes he wouldn't stab her. They say the baby wasn't injured.

Jail records did not indicate whether Wilkes has an attorney.