Residents of Topeka, Kan., were shocked on Tuesday night to learn that a local law banning domestic violence had been repealed by a vote of 7 to 3 in the City Council. District Attorney Chad Taylor said he was forced to focus on felonies rather than misdemeanors because of state budget cuts. Taylor will still have to prosecute domestic violence misdemeanors because they remain a crime under state law, but many are concerned he will find a way out of prosecuting the cases. Eighteen people have been arrested and subsequently released on domestic-violence charges since September, sparking outrage among advocates for victims.
