Taunton mayor appears in court on domestic assault charge
TAUNTON, Mass. (WJAR) — Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell went before a judge Monday morning after she was arrested when her husband called police during a fight.
She appeared in court briefly, and not guilty pleas were entered on her behalf on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and domestic assault and battery.
“I couldn’t give you an opinion on the case without looking at all the information. Since I don’t have it, there’s nothing I can say to you right now,” said her attorney, James McMahon.
According to court documents, police were called to her house late Friday night for a report of an active disturbance, possibly involving a crowbar.
Her husband told police that an argument about marital issue turned physical.
He told police that Shaunna O’Connell bit him on his left forearm, and then grabbed a small type of crowbar or gasket scraper and hit him with it on his right hand.
He also told them she jumped on his car when he tried to drive away, and police saw damage to the hood of the car and a bent broom nearby.
According to the report, police entered the home and found the mayor upstairs in a bedroom.
She told police her husband had been verbally abusive toward her and when they asked where he got the injuries, she said she didn’t know.
She was then arrested and taken into custody.
“We issued a joint statement. I stand by that statement. I apologize for calling the police. I apologize to my wife and the people of Taunton. It was a huge mistake,” said O’Connell’s husband Ted.
#NOW Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell arriving to court this morning after an alleged incident over the weekend with her husband where the police were called @NBC10 pic.twitter.com/UCc84cBeEZ
— Allegra Zamore (@allegrazamore) July 22, 2024
The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said it will be assigning a special prosecutor to the case to avoid a conflict of interest.
She was released and is not to abuse her husband in the meantime.
O’Connell did not answer questions about if she was returning to work Monday.