Editorial:

There is a tendency to rush to judgment after a high-profile arrest, particularly when the charge has to do with domestic violence, which is deplorable. But worse than jumping to conclusions is convicting a defendant in the town square, particularly the virtual one where so many do their crying now, rather than in a courtroom. Such visceral reactions to crime stories are part of being human, we suppose, and many people are hard-wired into believing that a defendant is guilty just because he’s been arrested and charged.

That’s not what we’re about as a newspaper. We urge the community to reserve judgment in the case of Newport Beach City Atty. David R. Hunt, who was placed on voluntary administrative leave last week after being arrested on suspicion of felony spousal abuse. The charge is serious, especially for a man who took an oath to uphold the law, and we are not about to defend anyone accused of injuring his wife.

But we are here to defend a man’s right to due process and to keep his job — at least for the time being — while the legal proceedings play out.

Right now, however, things don’t look good for Newport’s head attorney. The facts remain murky, yet something clearly went awry March 14, when police were called to Hunt’s Santa Ana home. Hunt, 52, was arguing with his 18-year-old son when his wife got in the middle of it, according to police statements made after the arrest. Hunt is accused of striking — though at least one piece of evidence suggest pushing — his wife, who then hit a table and fell to the floor. She suffered a cut on her arm and a bump on her head and required treatment at a hospital, according to the police account.

Making matters worse for Hunt is a recording of a 911 tape reviewed by the Daily Pilot. On tape, one of Hunt’s sons tells a police dispatcher, “My dad just went crazy, he pushed my mom down and started going after my brother.”

It is unclear, at least from the information we have, whether Hunt’s alleged actions against his wife were intentional, accidental or whether he was merely behaving without consideration for her safety.

Last week, Hunt met with the Newport Beach City Council in closed chambers and volunteered for administrative leave. The fact that Hunt’s wife met separately with the council tells us that there is more to this story than we know from news accounts. For now, it appears that administrative leave, rather than termination, was the right decision. The council, just like the community, wanted more facts and advice on how to proceed and, quite appropriately, hired outside counsel for guidance.

Whatever the outcome of the legal proceedings, it will prove tough for the city’s highest-ranking legal officer to manage his department effectively after being accused of a felony. But then again, we need to follow our own advice here, and not rush to judgment.