By now every interested wrestling fan has read the unfortunate reports regarding Adam Rose and has seen video of him donning prison orange pleading for release. This certainly is a harsh perspective for a fan, but as an attorney, this is a frequent spectacle that highlights our country’s current aversion to domestic violence.
A bit of background for perspective:
Like other states, Florida has an aggressive domestic violence law that actually creates a separate and more stringent category of battery (think assault) for incidents involving members of a household. For instance, striking a stranger on the street carries a less significant penalty than striking one’s spouse. In addition, an arrest for a domestic battery results in the alleged offender being held without bond until a hearing before a judge can occur (usually within 48 hours). The TMZ video featuring Adam Rose reflects this reality.
The logic behind this lack of bond is sound, but is not without its consequences. By definition, domestic violence occurs within the home, making it unwise to return an alleged offender to this setting before a judge can address the case. Unfortunately, from a practical standpoint, this also leads to a common occurrence of individuals like Rose spending career-threatening time in jail before the details of an emotionally charged situation can be sorted out fully. In essence, the system is sound and effective, but begs for restraint from the public’s perspective when viewing the jarring image of a well-known figure in prison clothing.
Adam Rose obviously faces an uncertain road going forward from both a legal and a personal perspective. From a legal standpoint, domestic violence cases, like any criminal case, depend upon a willing and cooperative alleged victim. These cases in particular rely upon a delicate balancing act that aims to protect an alleged abuse victim from further damage while ensuring that the courts do not necessarily intrude upon personal family issues that can be addressed privately.
By default, Adam Rose faced a no-contact order with his wife as a condition of his release. Rose’s wife pled with the judge for a reprieve from this default order at his May 12th court hearing. As a result, the judge ordered a less-stringent “no violent contact” order that will allow him to return home on the condition that he begins counseling with his pastor. He is scheduled to return to court for a status hearing on June 7th, where he will be required to bring proof of this counseling.
All of this bodes well for Rose legally, as adherence to the court order and continued support from his wife could lead to a favorable legal outcome. Rose faces significant charges, as the misdemeanor domestic battery charge carries a minimum 5-day jail sentence, and the felony tampering with a witness charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in jail. With that said, barring any setbacks or further charges, this case begs for a resolution that includes intensive counseling to ensure the future safety of all parties. Such a resolution is the likely result.
Adam Rose’s professional outlook does not appear to be as promising. Road Dogg recently commented that Rose’s career was over and it certainly is easy to follow his reasoning. A wellness suspension followed by domestic violence charges is not a combination that engenders long-term employment. While it will be understandable if Rose’s release does in fact occur, it would serve as WWE taking the easy route rather than standing behind an employee (I’m sorry, an independent contractor) at a time when support is most needed.
I won’t pretend to know what is happening within Raymond Leppan’s head, but it is fair to make reasonable inferences based upon the circumstances. We know that Adam Rose has been relegated to a minor role within the company and we know that compensation for those in such a role is a major point of contention at this time (see Ryback). Constant strain on the mind and body from a brutal road schedule is much more difficult to stomach when personally bearing the costs of the travel and the healthcare that results from an inevitable bodily breakdown (there’s that independent contractor problem again).
This stress is enough to break an individual under normal circumstances. For Leppan, the father of a special needs child, the stress could become insurmountable. Does this explain the wellness violation? Was it a desperate attempt to recover in order to continue performing or to take a step up the roster ladder? Whatever the case may be, the wellness violation, corresponding suspension, and resulting professional uncertainty likely did not help the stress and strain at home.
This is in no way an attempt to excuse the domestic incident alleged in this situation, it merely is an attempt to understand. I only hope that WWE is willing to do the same. This is a company that benefitted from the positivity resulting from the E:60 report about Leppan’s child. It is easy for a company to support an individual portrayed as a stand-up guy who is persevering in the face of an extremely difficult situation.
The situation didn’t become any less difficult. The only change is that Raymond Leppan stumbled in the face of an incredibly arduous challenge. WWE superstars live a dream that many wrestling fans have held throughout their lives. However, this dream includes incredible physical and personal sacrifice for the good of WWE. This situation is an opportunity for WWE to show that it is willing to stand behind the individuals who suffer consequences as a result of this sacrifice.
Cutting ties is the easy decision. Continued support is not.
I am of the belief that Raymond Leppan deserves support during this difficult time and I will continue to do so as a fan and as a fellow father. I hope that WWE sees the forest through the trees and decides to offer more than well wishes in his future endeavors.
