The co-owner of a Southeast Washington tattoo parlor was ordered held in the District jail on Tuesday on charges of killing her husband by shooting him in the head and back.
Authorities charged Kristin Kozak-Burnett, 36, with second-degree murder in the Monday slaying of her husband, Michael Burnett, 56, inside their apartment over their Liquidity Jones tattoo parlor at 1503 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.
The first thing I'd want to know is where the gun came from. If I had to guess, I'd say Virginia. I wouldn't expect it to have come from New York or New Jersey where they have proper gun control laws that work. Nor would I think it came from a local DC gun shop. Yes, probably Virginia.
Secondly, I'd want to know why she did it. Even before reading the rest of the article, I was guessing we've got the Burning Bed Syndrome here.
Since 2001, Burnett had been in out and out of jail for robbery and assault, including a 2008 fugitive robbery charge in Virginia. In 2008 and 2009, Burnett was twice charged with assault against his wife. Once he was found not guilty and the other charge was dismissed.
At the time, Kozak-Burnett told police she was scared and that their fights would not end "until he kills her," according to court documents.
Kozak-Burnett has also had her share of charges, including burglary and drug charges. In 2006, she was the key prosecution witness in the trial of the man who killed Eric N. Miler, a Securities and Exchange Commission lawyer from Fairfax County.
Kozak -- who was not married to Burnett at the time -- testified that she, Miller and Dana E. Moro were smoking crack in an Alexandria motel room in 2005 when Moro smashed Miller in the head with a lead pipe. Moro was sentenced to 33 years in prison for the killing.
What's your opinion? Do you see this case as an example of the woman saving herself with a gun? Or is this just another twist on the old theme, guns are bad news for women? Although Ms. Kozak-Burnett was not your typical battered and helpless housewife, as her brutal husband found out, that gun certainly didn't do her any favors. With her criminal background and appearance, arms covered with tattoos, I don't suppose her chances are very good in court at justifying her actions.
What do you think?
