RALEIGH -- N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper called Tuesday for legislators, law enforcement agencies and court officials to mount an organized attack on domestic violence by improving resources and strengthening the state's laws.

"Fighting domestic violence should be one of the state's highest priorities," Cooper said. "If we don't make domestic violence a priority, women are going to continue to be murdered."

Cooper made the comments after a series this week in The News & Observer reported that at least 73 women, children and bystanders were killed last year as a result of domestic violence. More than half of those accused in the killings had been in court to face previous domestic violence allegations.

The N&O series revealed wide disparities in the handling of misdemeanor domestic violence charges across the state. The newspaper studied the disposition of 238,000 misdemeanor charges statewide from January 1997 to October 2002. The review found that many cases received scant attention from police, prosecutors and judges; only a third of the charges ended in conviction, and more than half were dismissed.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Mike Easley said the governor favors stronger domestic violence laws.

"There is more to be done," said spokeswoman Cari Boyce. "[Easley] believes in zero tolerance for domestic violence and will work with the General Assembly and law enforcement to strengthen our domestic violence laws."

Kit Gruelle, a nationally recognized domestic violence expert based in Chatham County, said domestic violence is not an issue lawmakers can afford to ignore, citing an increase last year in domestic homicides.

"North Carolina is paying a mighty price for turning its back on this crime," Gruelle said. "North Carolina doesn't have the dollars to spare, and it also shouldn't think it has the people."

Detection, prevention

Gruelle urged lawmakers to look for ways to prevent domestic violence from escalating to murder. For example, she said, teachers should be trained to recognize when children come from violent homes.

At least one lawmaker agreed with Gruelle's recommendation to look for preventive measures.

"The question is, what do we do when we see the early signs," said Rep. Deborah Ross, a Raleigh Democrat. "We do not have the resources and supports in place." Ross said she would like to see the legislature pass a study bill to examine domestic violence, which would result in recommendations to lawmakers on how to address the problem.

Other lawmakers agreed with Cooper that resources need to be increased to address the problem.

Resources, laws

One issue highlighted by The N&O series is that district attorneys often are reluctant to prosecute defendants if the victim refuses to testify. "I think the basic problem in domestic violence is having adequate laws and resources so people who are victimized by it will not be afraid to come forward," said Rep. Paul Stam, a Republican from Apex.

Cooper suggested that police departments need crisis counselors to deal with victims, and district attorneys need staff assistants to help victims negotiate the court system.

He recommended that the state expand its pilot program for family courts. These courts, staffed by specialists, handle family-related cases ranging from criminal charges to divorce and custody disputes. He called for more supervised visitation centers, which are neutral places for parents involved in custody disputes to spend time with their children without interacting with each other -- a situation that can spark domestic violence.

The attorney general said he believes domestic violence crimes should be prosecuted with the level of urgency now given to drunken-driving offenses. Cooper recommended increasing the punishments for strangulation and other serious assaults, which currently carry a maximum five-month sentence if the defendant has five previous convictions.

Johnson Britt, Robeson County district attorney and president of the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys, agreed tougher laws are needed. Specifically, he said, strangulation -- which under existing law is considered a misdemeanor in domestic cases -- should be treated as a separate offense. In some states, such as Missouri, strangulation is a felony.

"It's more than merely an assault," Britt said. "To me, that's evidence of an intent to kill. I believe there is a need for more stringent laws."

Cooper said the legislature, law enforcement prosecutors and judges must be committed to fighting the problem. "It's going to take a commitment of resources and energy," he said.