Curt's three daughters are incorrigible. They are simply out of control. Whenever Curt would try to exercise parental discipline, they would have none of it. On June 23, 2008 Madison, Curt’s step daughter, was on the phone with her boyfriend. Curt hears her say “Lindsey get off the phone.” This makes him mad because Lindsey is grounded from the phone and the girls are not supposed to have a phone upstairs. Curt goes upstairs to confront Lindsey about being on the phone. She and her sisters all deny having a phone. Curt knows they are lying. Curt tried to ground Lindsey and she went Berserk. She charged him and he pushed her back. Lindsey then picked up the remote control for the television and threw it at Curt, he ducked. She charged him again, this time he grabbed her shirt in an attempt to control her, but she would not be stopped! She ran downstairs and called 911. The Oakland County Sheriffs came and investigated. They determined no crime had been committed.

Unfortunately some 30 days later a rookie prosecutor sitting in the ivory tower of the Oakland County Prosecutor’s warrants division, saw it differently and issued a warrant for Richard Curtis Atkins for domestic violence.

After two days of trial in the 52-2 district court in Clarkston in front of Judge Fortinberry Curt was exonerated. The jury was instructed the affirmative defenses of both parental discipline and self defense.