The family of a woman strangled by her husband, then allegedly murdered by him months later are asking lawmakers to make strangling a felony.
Monica Weber-Jeter was stabbed to death last year, eight months after she was nearly strangled to death.
She was married to her husband Andrea Weber for 19 years. They had five children together and looked like a picture-perfect couple. Then last October, Monica was killed. Police say Andrea stabbed her 28 times.
“Her two young daughters were in the living room when he was beating her, and stabbed her and Olivia called 911,” said Monica’s sister Tracy Fisher.
Fisher says Andrea had been violent before.
In January of 2014 he spent 11 days in jail for choking Monica until she nearly passed out.
“If we had this law in place that we are trying (to pass), then he may have been in jail on Oct. 8th when he stabbed her,” Fisher said.
Called Monica’s Law, the proposal would make non-fatal strangulation a felony crime instead of a misdemeanor.
“We know that strangulation is one of the leading indicators of future homicide for women,” said Amy Weber, Monica’s sister-in-law.
She says Monica’s Law, also known as Ohio House Bill 362, has bi-partisan support.
Groups fighting domestic violence want Ohio to join 38 other states that have stiffer penalties in place.
“To recognize that in Ohio and make sure abusers who use strangulation as a form of abuse are held accountable,” Weber said.
“It is a tragedy that she lost her life, she left behind five children. Now the children don’t have her anymore and they don’t have a father,” said Monica’s brother, Rich Weber.
Monica’s Law was introduced in the House Judiciary Committee on Monday. It has to go through a lengthy process before it ever winds up on the governor’s desk.
