It's just something about his demeanor that I can't put a finger on. Just me, and I certainly can be wrong, but it's there. That and the fact that LE has not cleared him, and we don't know about the last poly. All options are still open for LE. He may be a very good manipulator too for all we know...and abuse does not have to be physical. Some of his behaviors are just "off" to me, imo. I'm glad he got to see his daughter....finally-- and greatful for all he is doing in searching for Sky and keeping his name in the forefront, but I'm still :waitasec: until I hear more from LE. :twocents:
I agree, Holly.
However, I CAN put my finger on it. JB declared in a court document that SM had abused her - pulled her hair, contrived to scratch her with his keys, etc.
I know, I know, her statements have been challenged to be untrustworthy because she recently (via her attorney) urged the court to grant custody of M to her estranged husband.
Here's the thing: it's not unusual for a woman who has suffered domestic violence to make conflicting statements. Years ago, when I served as a DV victim's advocate, I saw this occur frequently, even when there were children involved.
Based upon my past experience, I don't discredit JB's claims of domestic violence simply because she recently urged the court to grant custody of her daughter to SM, rather than see her be placed into foster care, especially since JB is said to be afflicted with multiple mental illnesses - OCD, bi-polar disorder, & depression.
IMO, if her diagnoses are accurate, I don't believe that JB is capable of making sound decisions regarding herself or her children.
Thank Goodness the Judge in this case has taken it upon herself to deny custody of M to SM (and has only granted supervised visitation) until further investigation.
ETA: I know this is not the popular opinion, but it is what it is, and I'm willing to state it. I'm not willing to automatically discount the reports of alleged domestic violence victims, despite claims that their abusers have been "cleared". I've seen cases where the abusers have been "cleared" because the victim, for whatever reason, was unable or unwilling to testify against him.