Family Calls Police On A Man With History Of Violence Who Choked His Wife

By Travis Uresk

9/10/24

| Uintah County | September 1st, 2024 |

Around 6:00 pm, Deputy Oldham was notified of a domestic violence that occurred earlier that day. He was advised that the complainant was a third party and family member of the victim.

Deputy Oldham spoke with the complainant, who stated the victim contacted her after she had gotten into a physical altercation with her husband, 38-year-old Matthew Scott Bennett.

When asked what exactly happened, it was explained that both the victim and Matthew drink, and when Matthew drinks alcohol, he beats her up.

The deputy arrived at the victim's residence and noticed Matthew, the victim, and the victim's friend. Matthew immediately entered the residence as Deputy Oldham drove by. The deputy called for another officer to assist, knowing he needed to separate the parties.

The deputy briefly spoke to the victim and asked where Matthew went. The victim stated that he went into the house to fold laundry. Deputy Oldham went to the door with the victim and called for Matthew to come outside.

Matthew began explaining that he and the victim get into verbal altercations all of the time, but nothing physical happened today.

While the deputy was speaking with Matthew, Deputy Anderton arrived and began speaking with Matthew while Deputy Oldham returned to the back of the home to continue interviewing the victim and her friend.

The victim was taken aside and asked what had taken place. She explained that nothing happened, that it was just an argument, and that it happens all the time. She also said that she was not in any danger with Matthew.

Deputy Oldham began to speak with the victim's friend, and she stated that approximately an hour ago, Matthew and the victim got into an argument, but Matthew had choked the victim. The friend explained that the victim called her, expressing she wanted to go to the shelter.

Deputy Oldham returned to speak with the victim and told her she needed to be honest with him. She again said that nothing happened, and Matthew couldn’t go to jail because she didn’t have a way of making any money. The victim explained that she was tired of the way Matthew was treating her. When asked about that, she stated that she does all the cooking and cleaning, and Matthew doesn't help out at all.

This is when the arguments start because the victim will express her frustration about the situation to Matthew.

Deputy Oldham asked the question if he hit his wife. Matthew answered no. The deputy then asked if he had ever choked his wife, and Matthew then looked down and admitted to placing his wife in a chokehold. When asked what kind of hold, Matthew didn't say anything but made the motion of wrapping his left arm around an invisible object, then taking his right arm and going behind the invisible object, similar to what is called a rear naked choke.

Matthew then began asking Deputy Oldham to not take him to jail.

Deputy Oldham returned to the victim and said she needed to stop lying. She became very emotional and looked at her friend, saying she couldn't.

The victim’s was very supportive and was trying to get her to tell the deputy the truth, but the victim still denied anything physical happened.

At this time, Matthew came to the backyard to drop his daughter off to the victim, who was sitting on his lap in front of the residence. Deputy Oldham then asked Matthew to walk back to the front of the house and said he didn't want to place him in handcuffs in front of his children.

Matthew was transported to the Uintah County Jail, where he was booked in on assault with substantial bodily injury due to his demonstrating how the chokehold was administered.

The deputy double-checked with dispatch to run a criminal history in which there was a plea in abeyance last year.

All the articles that come from 1nationjustice.com are from the affidavits & probable cause reports that the officers write. If you would like you can get a copy of the report from the website below. It does cost money to get on the site and to open every document you want to read. You can also look up any case in the state of Utah from this site.

https://pubapps.utcourts.gov/XchangeWEB/XchangeWebServlet

Signs and Symptoms of Abuse

By Sanjana Gupta

Updated on May 08, 2023

Mental abuse, also known as psychological or emotional abuse, involves deliberately hurting someone and causing them emotional pain, or trying to control or manipulate them through verbal or non-verbal communication.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. Types and signs of abuse.

Mental abuse can be harder to recognize than physical abuse; however, it can be just as harmful and may lead to emotional scars and health issues. Furthermore, mental abuse is often a precursor to physical abuse, so it’s important to recognize it and get help as soon as possible.

This article explores the different types of mental abuse, signs that someone is being abused, the impact of mental abuse, and some coping strategies that may be helpful for people who have been abused.

Types of Mental Abuse

These are some of the different types of mental abuse:

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. Types and signs of abuse.

• Bullying

• Intimidation

• Coercion

• Harassment

• Ridicule

• Humiliation 

• Controlling behaviors

• Gaslighting 

• Attempts to isolate the person from their friends or family

• Verbal displays of anger, such as yelling or swearing 

The nature of mental abuse can vary across different types of relationships. Intimate partner abuse and child abuse are among the most common.

Intimate Partner Abuse

These are some examples of what mental abuse by intimate partners can look like:

• Wanting to know where you are and what you’re doing at all times

• Expecting you to report your activities and remain in constant contact

• Making decisions for you, often without consulting you

• Cutting you off from your friends and family

• Keeping you from going to school or work

• Discouraging you from going to the doctor or getting medical help

• Acting jealous or accusing you of being unfaithful

• Insulting you or calling you names

• Humiliating you in front of other people

• Treating you like a child

• Controlling your finances or monitoring how you spend money

• Getting angry and yelling or swearing at you

• Blaming you for their anger and outbursts

• Threatening you, or your friends, family members, or pets

• Deliberately frightening you

• Threatening to report you to the authorities, sometimes under false pretenses

• Threatening to harm themselves in an attempt to control you

Mental abuse by intimate partners can start suddenly and come as a surprise. For instance, abusers may initially be very attentive, pay you a lot of compliments, and shower you with love and attention. However, they may slowly start to control your life and become abusive. 

You may find yourself making excuses for their behavior, thinking it’s your fault, or feeling embarrassed or foolish for entering into a relationship with them. However, it’s important to remember that being abused is not your fault.

If you or a loved one are a victim of domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential assistance from trained advocates. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

Child Abuse

These are some examples of what mental abuse of children can look like:

• Criticizing the child constantly

• Blaming the child for problems

• Talking down to the child and humiliating them

• Threatening to abandon the child or hurt them

• Failing to provide a safe and stable environment for the child

• Exposing the child to severe abuse or violence among family members

• Neglecting the child and showing no concern for them

Child abuse can sometimes be hard to detect, making it hard for people to recognize it and help the child.

Children who grow up in abusive or violent households may believe that it’s a normal way for family members to treat each other and in turn display abusive and violent tendencies in school or in intimate relationships as adults.

If you are a victim of child abuse or know someone who might be, call or text the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 to speak with a professional crisis counselor.

Impact of Mental Abuse

Being in abusive situation can cause you to:

• Feel helpless and powerless

• Be scared and afraid of upsetting your abuser

• Feel guilty and ashamed

• Feel stressed and overwhelmed

• Feel useless and unwanted

• Lack confidence in yourself

• Feel used, manipulated, or controlled

• Question your reality and your memory of events

• Alter your behavior in order to keep the peace and avoid upsetting them, a response known as fawning

Mental abuse can affect your self-esteem, concentration, stress levels, ability to sleep, mood, and ability to function. In the long run, it can lead to physical and mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.

Signs of Mental Abuse

These are some of the signs that someone is being emotionally abused:

• Being extremely agitated or upset 

• Withdrawing and refusing to communicate or respond

• Acting scared or nervous around certain people

• Displaying unusual behaviors generally associated with dementia, such as rocking, biting, or sucking

Signs Your Child May Be Struggling With Mental Health Issues

Coping With Mental Abuse

These are some strategies that can help you if you are or have been in an abusive situation:

• Seek help and support: Victims of abuse are often too scared or ashamed to tell others about the abuse. However, it’s important to reach out to a friend, family member, therapist, or organization that can offer help, support, or protection. 

• Write down your experiences: Abusers often gaslight their victims and make them doubt their reality. It can be helpful to write down your version of events so you have a record of what really happened.

• Don’t blame yourself: You may blame yourself for what happened to you or think that you did something to cause it or deserve it, but you need to remember that if someone has abused you, it’s their fault and not yours. Remind yourself of this fact over and over again if you need to.

• Refuse to engage your abuser: If you are in a situation where you need to interact with your abuser, step back and refuse to engage with them on any level.

• Recognize unhealthy patterns: If you have grown up in an abusive home or been in an abusive relationship, emotionally abusive behaviors may seem normal to you and you may seek them out or perpetuate them in other relationships. It’s important to break the cycle by recognizing unhealthy patterns and working toward healthier relationships with mutual trust, respect, affection, and independent agency.