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Marlo Hampton Releases a Statement Worth Reading

Regina | January 12, 2012 | 8 Comments More

photo: http://cdn.eurweb.com

(January 11, 2012) – That Marlo Hampton may not be the person I thought she was when I initially read about her on Straight from the A. And that was only two days ago when I wrote:
“Talk about a euphemism. Straight from the A is reporting that that  “altercation” was actually a vicious fight during which Marlo slashed the other woman’s face with a sharp object, possibly a razor, and disfigured her horribly. That woman has since committed suicide. What an ugly, ugly story. Nothing about growing up with an alcoholic, drug addict mother can explain such a violent, cruel attack on another human being. I find it just creepy and I hope Bravo will stop filming with her.”

My attitude about her began to change when I read her blog today and discovered this statement:

MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release
MARLO HAMPTON STATEMENT

Atlanta, GA – (January 12, 2012) – “I am shocked and saddened to hear of the recent distortions of events and false accusations disseminated over an altercation I was involved in over a dozen years ago.  It had been my preference, out of respect for the person involved, as well as her family, to not speak about this incident publicly, but the recklessness with which the story is being manipulated has forced me to come forward.

I was in my early twenties, and what took place started out as an argument with someone who was once my friend, over the phone.  In the first incident, I was ambushed at my house and badly beaten.  Though charges were initially filed, those charges were later dropped and I filed a restraining order.  As disturbing as the carrying of a weapon may seem, it was quite common in the environment in which I was raised, and not only I, but also the person involved in the altercation, had each brought weapons to protect ourselves.  There was a confrontation, her knife dropped, mine did not.

I was arrested and convicted of aggravated battery for which I served 6 months in jail.  What is so disturbing about the false reports now circulating is that it was she, my friend, who appeared in court on my behalf and fought to reduce my sentence.

Like many people, I was deeply saddened by her untimely death – 6 years later – and shocked at the recent attempts to connect me to it.  Ultimately, it does a disservice to her and her family, to guess and draw conclusions as to her state of mind when she committed suicide.  Those reasons are obviously personal and painful and do not deserve to be speculated on for the purposes of entertainment or drawing readers to your site.  She and her family remain in my prayers.

My attorneys will be sending a cease and desist letter with a request for retraction shortly.”

———-♦———-

Of course I am not making excuses for what happened to the woman Marlo was in a brutal fight with. Of course I am not saying it is okay. What I am saying is that people make mistakes and it really sounds like she gets how horrifying it is and was. I am a firm believer that all people must be given a chance to redeem themselves, especially when they’ve paid their debt to society and truly understand what they did was wrong. And I admire Marlo for addressing the subject head on. I hope everyone gives her a chance to make a name for herself and to define herself as she is today and not what happened when she was young and dumb and made a truly horrible mistake.

 

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Category: Marlo Hampton, Real Housewives of Atlanta

About the Author (Author Profile)

I am a New York City publicist who specializes in promoting luxury products and experiences and occasionally moonlight as a journalist.

Relatively new to the world of blogging, I have watched and enjoyed Bravo’s Housewives shows since the first season of the Real Housewives of Orange County. I created this blog over the 4th of July holiday of 2011 because I enjoy writing and love to figure out how to blend images and words to create something that is both visually compelling and interesting to read.

  • MaggieG

    A very skillfully written letter.
    Yes, people should be allowed redemption.
    Sad she hasn’t taken the next step in climbing out of her disadvantaged upbringing by finding a reputable way of earning a living.

    • Anonymous

      Again I am sure I am in the minority, but as long as she is not hurting anyone I don’t care how she makes her living. If she is living off men, like a kept woman, I think she is hurting herself ultimately which is not a good thing, but I do not think she is hurting the men. Still hurting yourself is truly awful. And if that is why she is doing, I pray for her. The end result of that lifestyle is never a good thing. At best it hardens women. At worst it can lead to death, both spiritually and physically.

      In my line of work, NYC publicist, I literally meet dozens if not hundreds of people every week. Some come and go. Others are reoccurring characters. Far fewer become friends on any level. But as I get older I notice there are LOTS of women who live off men in a variety of ways.

      Some go on “dates” for Gucci purses. Others want rich guys to pay their rents. Some insist on cash. Others still work under the guise that they are “Pilates” instructors who are taken on trips abroad to help their clients stay in shape while on business trips. Regardless of how cute the girls are, how much they make and how gentlemanly the men who frequent them behave, straight across the board those girls are marginalized and treated in a way I could never deal with.

      And yet women who are less attractive and some times less intelligent, are ALWAYS treated with far more kindness and far more respect. The life of a paid woman is truly an ugly plight if that woman has any self respect. I mention all of this because if Marlo is who people suggest she is, I truly hope she finds another occupation. But I refuse to judge her harshly for it. I think she may have gotten into that profession as a result of having judged herself too harshly to begin with. I will not join her in that.

      • MaggieG

        My misgivings about Marlo have less to do with judging her lifestyle than with how that lifestyle challenges the truth of her claim that she’s a different, better person now.  Doesn’t wanting a shot at redemption mean changing your path in life?

        By the way, your argument that lots of women live off men in a variety of ways is quite valid, in my opinion.  I’ve even heard women (who live by means of providing sexual services) suggest that marriage could be considered legalized prostitution (sex in exchange for a comfortable/cushy lifestyle) but in those circumstances it just seems like a rationale to justify their line of work.

        It’s admirable of you to believe Marlo when she says that she’s not in that place anymore.  Your own description of how you behaved when the peeper spiked your adrenalin & your fight response kicked in shows your empathy.  It’s part of what I really enjoy in your work.  I agree that it’s easy to judge others more harshly than we judge ourselves.

        As with all things, there is what people say & what people do.  Deciding the veracity of one is based on the other.

        Thank you for interacting so much with your commentators.

  • sk777

    but then you should read the comments by the victims family that they gave to Straight A and also the restraining order the victim requested against Marlo a year after the assault. and thats fine, everyone has a past and should be given a chance, but this bitch isnt really taking any responsibility, she keeps throwing her actions around and talking about the reality of how and where she grew up. Alot of people grew up shitty and violent but they spend more than 6 months in jail and dont get a spot as a real housewife.
    She should have just been happy with her ho money (oh i mean money from god) and not tried to be famous, because i doubt anyone wants to take a chance on her. she’s proven she’s crazy and that might be the only reason Nene is being friendly with her… to avoid being attacked.

    • Anonymous

      I have to say that I have read at least some of what Marlo’s victim’s family has said. I respect the statements that I have read.

      I did a quick search on google and could not find anything about the restraining order against Marlo one year after that horrendous fight that left the other woman disfigured. But trust me, I do not doubt it exists. I just cannot find it.

      And I agree with you that people have gone through horrendous experiences and did not become physically violent and slash another woman. Trust me, that is not my world. And I hope it never will be. But I do know that as human beings we are capable of doing lots of things if we are in the wrong situation.

      My real reason for saying that is that I know I could NEVER intentionally hurt another person, but once I say that I do have to remember that recently a peeper has been peeping in my windows. I’ve called the police and he’s never been caught, but let me assure you, as non-violent as I am, if that red headed freak ever comes in my place, I would shoot him (if I had a gun) without a moment’s hesitation.

      The first time I saw him pressed up against my window with his face distorted. I involuntarily ran out of my house, and started cursing at him wildly. I could barely believe the words that were coming out of my mouth. I was literally like a rabid caged animal, fighting for her life.

      Please know that I really get that what Marlo did was HORRENDOUS. But as I have said here before in other comments on this post, I truly believe people must be given a chance to move on, if it is at all possible. I truly believe people can change. I’ve seen this with my own eyes. And I do not believe that getting a spot on one of Housewives shows is like winning the lottery or having your past erased. On the contrary, these shows serve to stir up your past. In many ways, I think these roles are a fate worse than death.

      Thank you for reading and commenting. I am glad you challenged me. Responding to what you said made me really think about my gut reaction and helped me better understand why I wrote this post.  I hope you always return and feel free to comment in any way you want. xxoo

  • gallow

    How can she claim no responsibility for her victims ultimate fate but then turn around and say she was a product of her environment?  Isn’t her victim also allowed to be a product of the circumstances she found herself in, after Marlo slashed and disfigured her face?  

    I think the victim’s family responded honorably, giving everything up to God and simply asked Marlo not to refer to their child as a “bitch”.  Marlo did not respond in kind.  Even this, so skillfully crafted, is a disgrace: “Her knife dropped, mine did not.”  She is clearly trying to manipulate the reader to see her actions as self-defense, even while admitting the woman was UNARMED.  What happened is she disfigured an unarmed woman.   And there isn’t any evidence that this was self defense.  Quite the contrary.  Everything, including the court decision, found Marlo AND ONLY MARLO guilty of crimes that evening.  

    • Anonymous

      But is she really saying she is not responsible? I am not reading that. You definitely may be right. I am not arguing with you, merely asking.

      I’ve read a bit about the family’s response. Again, I am just asking, but when was the last time Marlo called this woman a bitch? Has enough time passed that she could have possibly seen the light since then?

      You are right that she alone was found guilty. I really get that. And I believe it, too. Marlo is 100% guilty for Marlo’s actions, regardless of what was going on.

      And while I do not think I am capable of doing what she did, I truly believe that people must be given a way to re-enter society without forever being punished for what they did twelve years ago.

      Finally, and I am sure I may be in the minority here, even if the other woman had slashed her first, I still DO NOT think Marlo is justified in slashing her. I mention that in advance of saying that maybe they were both lunging for each other with box cutters (horrendous visual) and Marlo connected before she realized the other woman’s weapon had fallen. Still not acceptable in my book, but without having been there, or seeing footage of it, I cannot say Marlo knew the woman was unarmed until after it all ended.

      Thank you for reading and commenting. While I may not see this situation as you did, I really do appreciate your taking the time to write to me and I also recognize you may be 100% right and I may be 100% wrong. But regardless, I truly believe all people must get  a chance to make their lives right if it is at all possible.

  • Mousaisjoren

    @PriscillaWasilla how are you today, i just notice your blog on the whole incident and how people make Marlo seem like a bad person, what i can tell you are facts not nothing I heard, I’m not here to bad mouth Marlo and what she does, to make a living, Marlo is a Evil person, i know several people who was there at the club when Marlo cut her, I even know someone who had recorded the fight, Marlo was out to do evil to her, because she was very pretty,over a sugar daddy who Marlo couldnt take that the man like the other woman, so when people say she a escort, its believable, and the reason you cant find the restraining order is because the family and the victim romoved it, because the feel they will let GOD handle the whole thing, i know people make mistake and GOD forgives us, what u seen on t.v when marlo continue to say, they better check my charges, she also says that in the real world, and yes she is a sweet person and fun to be around, Marlo wants to be a star, and people shouldnt judge her from the mistakes the made but as long as she never be real and tell the truth of the whole story of the whole situation and what really happen, the lady is dead, who didnt even want to come outside on how her face looked, who forgave Marlo, but at the end of the day Marlo caused that hurt to her and thats what we all know, people shouldnt judge because only GOD has the right to do that, but Marlo is not telling the truth on what really happen, the lady family is GOD fearing people now imagine someone do something like that to your mother, sister, aunt, or even child, you would want to kill them, but they have heart of gold and forgives her, Marlo needs to go see a psych, because one minute she nice and the next she is raising hell and telling people to check her record, she needs help and need to put the labels away, no one will ever accept her until she seek help, but if the family would really come out and say the real, no one would even want to be around Marlo, but the have moved on, so before you defend Marlo, get to know her outside of the t.v and base your decison on that,  be blessed

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