Lyn Lavallee Substance Abuse

There’s a point in many people’s lives where they cannot bear to live with the pain they suffer; doing anything to stop it. On the other hand, there are some people who take their decisions too far because of their suffering. Angelique Lyn Lavallee was a young woman in her early twenties who made a choice many women wouldn’t consider. Lavallee was in a relationship with her common law partner Kevin Rust, a twenty four year old male. Their relationship, instead of compassion, was filled with constant and various forms of abuse. The abuse of the relationship went on for a very long time. Lavallee was never able to defend herself. Rust was just way too strong for her to defeat, until the day she won. On October 31st, 1986, was the day Rust and

Lavallee was frightened, and did not know what would happen next. At that point Lavallee made the “kill or be killed” decision. Rust was leaving and Lavallee fired two shots, one did not hit him and the second shot hit Rust in the back of the head. Lavallee was then charged with second degree murder, but it was argued in her trial that she carried this out in self defense. Expert witness Dr. Fred Shane informed the court that Lavallee suffered from “Battered Wife Syndrome”; results from a woman who suffers emotional and physical from the abuse from their partners. Lavallee’s verdict at Manitoba’s Queen Bench was an acquittal. The decision was overturned by the Manitoba’s court of Appeals because they believed the expert testimony given by Dr. Fred Shane shouldn’t be admissible. The Supreme Court of Canada appealed this case again upholding the original verdict because without the expert testimony; it would be impossible for a jury to appreciate Lavallee’s position and mindset without understanding Battered Woman Syndrome (Lavallee Summary,

Lavallee was suffering from “Battered Wife Syndrome”. Lavallee was under pressure and feared that Rust was going to kill her that day. Rust abused Lavallee emotionally, sexually, mentally and physically; to her, there was no other option to stop him other than shooting him. John Stuart Mill and his theory of Utilitarianism, supports this. Mill says that “an action may maximize the good in the world and yet be unjust in the way in which it distributes it” (Perez & Moore 2013). Yes, Lavallee did shoot Rust in the back of the head but, Mill would say that her actions were good because Rust wasn’t a good person, he was the evil. Even though it may seem horrible for Lavallee to have shot Rust, Mill would say its right because it’s eliminating an evil. “The small action of doing good can create the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people1” (Perez & Moore 2013). More importantly, by Lavallee shooting Rust, he would not be able to abuse any other women like he did to Lavallee. Act Utilitarianism applies because Lavallee wanted individual happiness. John Stuart Mill says “solving a person’s immediate problem would be in the best interests of the community at large” (Perez & Moore 2013). By removing Rust from her life forever he would no longer be able to further cause pain, therefore bringing her