People v. Dorm

OPINION OF THE COURT

Jones, J.

Defendant and victim had been involved in a romantic relationship for three months when the charged crimes occurred. On January 1, 2005, after a New Year’s Eve party, defendant and victim returned to victim’s apartment where an argument erupted during which defendant blocked victim’s attempts to leave and bolted the door. The altercation escalated from pushing and shoving, to throwing of a phone, and ultimately to victim punching defendant and defendant manually choking victim on her bed. The couple unsuccessfully attempted to reconcile in the weeks that followed…