An Atlantic City man who hid from police responding to a domestic disturbance was released from jail after a detention hearing Monday.
Corey Cornish, 33, was found hiding under a mattress in an alley about 40 minutes after he allegedly barricaded a bedroom door and climbed out the fire escape Dec. 9, while police questioned the alleged victim it the case.
He already had an outstanding warrant at the time in an earlier domestic violence incident with the same woman in November, according to charges in the case.
In the earlier incident, Cornish allegedly damaged a door forcing his way into the apartment in the first block of North Iowa Avenue, and then punched the victim in the body and head.
She had visible bruising on her left eye, according to the police report.
But the alleged victim, Cornish’s girlfriend, told police that she did not want to pursue charges and that she does not fear him.
“These are always difficult cases,” Judge William Miller said of alleged domestic abuse.
“The court has to figure out whether it’s the cycle of domestic violence, whether the victim feels remorse, whether what they said at the time of the incident — their emotional outburst, their excited utterances — is more persuasive and weighty,” the judge said.
Miller noted that, afterward, when the significant other is in jail, the victim starts to feel some kind of remorse or blame.
“Or, in the alternative, she made it all up to get him out of the apartment and feels guilty that now he’s in jail,” he said, as Cornish vigorously nodded in agreement.
Regardless, her recanting the allegations left the state with a case that likely will be reduced to obstruction for fleeing police, Miller noted.
Since that likely would not mean jail time, the judge decided to go against the public safety assessment’s recommendation that Cornish not be released.
Keeping him detained could endanger his job and force him back to the streets, the judge said.
Cornish has worked as a manager at A.C. Linen the past three years.
“They employ lot of people and give them second chances there,” the judge noted.
Cornish was just released from prison in July after serving time for escaping detention after cutting off his ankle bracelet.
Despite the alleged victim saying she wanted to maintain contact with Cornish, the judge did make no contact a condition of his release.
He said that would avoid any potential issues while the case goes through the process.
Cornish also must check in with the court by phone once a month, and in person once a month.
