Wife speaks out about pancake fight

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

An unusual story of domestic violence involving an Oklahoma City couple and pancakes has sparked an emotional response from a number of NEWS 9 viewers and the alleged victim.

Last week NEWS 9 reported the arrest of a Jacob Laws who police said attacked his wife for making a batch of bad pancakes. His wife, Jessica Laws, said she was attacked, but it wasn't because of her cooking.

"When you argue and fight things can escalate," she said. "You're mad about this, but then the 15 other things you're mad about get brought into that and that is exactly what happened."

Jessica Laws said a comment about her cooking is what started an argument between her and her husband, but the pancake flap isn't what led up to a physical confrontation between the two.

"It wasn't about pancakes," she said. "It wasn't about breakfast. It had nothing to do with that part of it."

Jessica Laws declined to comment on what the fight was actually about. Police cited the breakfast debacle as the motive for Jacob Laws attacking and choking his wife of just one year. 

The arrest was mentioned during a NEWS 9 newscast that focused on domestic violence in Oklahoma. 

Jessica Laws said she "bawled" when she saw it.

"It's been a hard situation all around and for it to be publicized," she said. "I wish it would have never been because this is a private matter."

Jessica said the publicity of her husband's arrest could keep other domestic violence victims in the dark, for fear that their stories also will be thrown into the spotlight.

"It's not right," Jessica Laws said. "I know that it's not, but he has to get help."

A spokesman for the YWCA said exposure of such violence is a positive thing, because it shows victims  they're not alone.

Jacob Laws was arrested on complaints of domestic abuse and assault and battery. He remained in jail Sunday night.