For those of you who haven't been reading the East Hampton (NY) Star, you may have missed the latest on God's gift to the domestic arts: Martha Stewart.

Hold on to your hats for this one.....

Martha's neighbor, Harry Macklowe, is a big Manhattan real estate tycoon, who is known for tearing down buildings, and putting up fences, in the middle of the night. Martha and Harry had already been at odds over several "neighborly" issues.

On May 21, 1997, Martha drove up to the Macklowe residence, and began to question Matthew Munnich, a landscaper's employee, about a fence that had appeared recently. When Munnich stated that his landscaping company did not put up the fence, Stewart did what anyone would do in a similar situation. She backed up her Suburban, and pinned him against a stone wall (presumably supporting a gate)--and kept backing up. She also laced into the innocent and bewildered Munnich with a foul-mouthed tirade, that was somewhat removed from her homemaking queen image.

The only thing that saved Munnich from more serious injury, was that the vehicle's mirror collapsed forward, allowing him to escape.

And now, for the rest of the story.

One would have thought that Stewart's attack on Munnich constitutes a clear case of assault. But, no...

Suffolk County District Attorney, James A. Catterson, Jr. decided, in late July, not to press charges against Martha. It seems that Catterson is up for re-election this year. Could his decision on the Stewart case be politically motivated?

And as for dear Martha, we can only say that she too should try to live up to her screen persona a wee bit more. How many negative reports will it take to sink her empire?