Animals with high testosterone levels are known to be fearless fighters and the ultimate predators. The African lions of Tsavo National Park in Kenya are reputed to be the most aggressive lions in the world. Why? Scientists believe that the higher testosterone levels in this particular group of lions makes them more aggressive and territorial than any other pride. In sharks, species with the highest testosterone levels are the most aggressive sharks in the ocean, more aggressive even than the great white. Testosterone levels between species vary but testosterone levels between individuals of the same species, including humans, also vary. Are some men naturally predisposed to violence and incapacitated by their chemical makeup when it comes to controlling their anger and aggression? Are certain men in greater danger of becoming involved in a domestic dispute and being charged with domestic violence? Do the men represented by domestic violence attorneys have higher testosterone levels than other men who were never charged with spousal battery? While these questions of yet have no concrete answers, a recent domestic violence case shows that there could be some validity to the hypothesis that men charged with domestic violence could suffer from above average testosterone levels.
Tito Ortiz has been arrested on charges of domestic violence. He has been accused of assaulting and beating his girlfriend Jenna Jameson in their home in California. For those of you who do not know who Tito Ortiz is, he is a 6-foot-3, 205 pound Ultimate Fighting Champion. This is a man who has made fighting his life passion and work, and who has had considerable success by being strong, aggressive, and fearless. Ortiz could very probably have higher than average testosterone levels, a chemical imbalance that has been shown to make many men pursue greater risk taking activity and may as in other species lead to greater aggression. This will be a challenging case for the criminal defense attorney representing Ortiz. Jameson allegedly sustained visible injuries after the alleged attack by Ortiz and it is likely that Ortiz will be charged with felony domestic violence. The domestic violence attorney representing Ortiz will have to put up a solid defense in order for Ortiz to retain parental rights of his children and not become convicted and labeled as a spouse beater. If Ortiz indeed does suffer from genetically high testosterone levels, is this a fact that can be used in his defense? In many cases physical and mental medical conditions such as Depression, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome that affect impulse control are used by criminal defense attorneys to show that their clients could not control their criminal actions. Ortiz’s domestic violence lawyer should investigate Ortiz’s testosterone levels and if they are higher than average use this as a defense to mitigate felony charges of domestic violence. If in fact Ortiz faces a greater challenge in controlling anger and aggression, he will need anger management courses and perhaps hormone therapy, not time behind bars.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=51013
