He is alleged to have grabbed her, assaulted her and threw her to the ground. Once on the ground, he began to choke her because he could not find her money in her purse, police said.
People inside the restaurant came to the woman’s aid.
The new offense was created as part of an effort to prevent and prosecute domestic violence, although the case against Taylor is not a domestic violence situation.
According to a story in Lawyers Weekly, in addition to boosting prevention efforts and creating a right to domestic violence leave for certain employees, the measure signed by Gov. Deval L. Patrick in August month created a new felony offense of strangulation and suffocation.
The Lawyers Weekly story said the bill amended Chapter 265 to add section 15D, which defines “strangulation” as “the intentional interference of the normal breathing or circulation of blood by applying substantial pressure on the throat or neck of another,” and “suffocation” as the “intentional interference of the normal breathing or circulation of blood by blocking the nose or mouth of another.”
Those convicted of strangulation and suffocation face up to five years in prison, twice the maximum sentence for assault and battery. The law provides a stiffer sentence of up to 10 years when serious bodily injury is the result, the victim is pregnant, or the defendant was previously convicted of trying to strangle or suffocate someone, the story said.

County Attorney Lando Voyles, who is pictured on the billboards alongside Sheriff Paul Babeu, said he believed strangulation cases were going unnoticed and, in response, provided training for law-enforcement officers on detecting signs of strangulation. Also featured on the billboards is the image of a woman with bloodshot eyes and bruises.
Officers are trained to notice signs, including changes in the potential victim’s voice, difficulty swallowing and bruising behind the ears, the statement said.
The County Attorney’s Office said there has been an increase in reported strangulation cases over the year due to the officers’ ability to recognize signs.

“Knowing what she went through the last moments of her life. It’s just something, it plays over and over in your mind and you never get used to it,” said John Salter, Tiffany’s father.
A jury convicted Goff of murder this past April. That same month, a bill passed making strangulation a felony. Before, it was just a misdemeanor, but now it’s aggravated assault, and could mean a 20 year sentence.
“I just cried because for me that’s Tiffany’s law,” Karen Salter said.
She hopes it will save lives. Stats show strangulation is the most common form of domestic violence. It takes the same amount of force as a handshake for someone to pass out and in four minutes, they’ll be dead.
In Georgia, 44 percent of domestic violence victims have been strangled. Last year, out of the 2,000 clients Safe Homes Augusta helped, 40 percent were strangulation victims.
“The abuser at that moment and choose to intimidate her by saying I’m going to kill you, or I have total control to kill you,” said Aimee Hall, executive director of Safe Homes Augusta.
Since the new law, Safe Homes Augusta wants to make sure law enforcement documents strangulation, especially 911 dispatchers.
“Then the 911 operators can ask. Did he put his hands on you? Where did he put his hands on you then they can go ahead and dispatch that information to the police,” Hall said.
“Do something. Do something. You don’t want to be where I’m sitting right now,” John Salter said.
Georgia ranks 12th in the nation for women killed by men. South Carolina is number one.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can call the Augusta Safe Homes crisis hotline at 706-736-2499

Gael B. Strack, JD will be conducting a training on “Strangulation and Violence Against Women” at the Investigating Strangulation and Sexual Assault: Special Emphasis – Dispatch event hosted by the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc.
Registration and Refreshments: 7:45am-8:30am
Morning: 8:30am-12:00pm
Strangulation and Violence Against Women
Gael B. Strack, JD is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of the National Family Justice Center Alliance, with specific leadership in the Strangulation Training Institute. Her past experience includes 17 years as a domestic violence prosecutor, deputy public defender, Assistant City Attorney for San Diego, and Head Deputy City Attorney for the San Diego Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Unit. Gael is an adjunct law professor for California Western School of Law. She has co-authored a series of strangulation articles for national journals, as well as co-authoring several books. Gael has received numerous awards, most recently the 2010 National Crime Victim Service Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services. She is considered a national expert on investigation and prosecution of strangulation.
Lunch on Your Own: 12:00-1:30
Afternoon: 1:30pm-5:00pm
Investigation of Sexual Violence, Special Emphasis: Dispatch
David W. Markel, HQE is an 30 year veteran of law enforcement and the criminal justice system, working as patrol officer, detective, death investigator, instructor, and private consultant. In January of 2009, Dave was hired by the US Army Criminal Investigative Command as a Highly Qualified Expert to supervise and manage the Army’s sexual assault investigation training program. During his tenure with the Army, Dave became one of the foremost experts in training the Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview© developed by Russell Strand, and instructs on this revolutionary interview technique. His expertise and motivational presentation style have helped hundreds to perform their jobs with a new and inspired perspective.

• Eligible Participants: Dispatchers, Investigators, Prosecutors, Legislators, Advocates
• Dispatch/Law Enforcement/Attorney Credit Applied for

 
If interested in attending this event in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contact Carla Gallegos-Ortega: carlago@swcp.com