Massachusetts tough-on-crime mayor 'bit' her husband and attacked him with gasket scraper when argument over 'marital issue' turned violent

A Massachusetts politician who ran connected a level of being tough-on-crime is now facing home maltreatment charges for allegedly biting her hubby and attacking him pinch a gasket scraper.

Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell, 54, has been charged pinch 1 count of battle and artillery connected a family member, a misdemeanor, and 1 count of battle and artillery pinch a vulnerable limb for nan alleged convulsive episode, the Taunton Daily Gazette reports. 

Local constabulary opportunity nan incident occurred aft she and her husband, Ted, sewage into an statement complete a 'marital issue' that 'ended up turning physical' Friday night.

Ted had called 911 complete nan 'active disturbance' astatine their location connected Worcester Street, and told constabulary astatine nan segment that his woman spot him, deed him pinch a gasket scraper and jumped connected nan hood of his car to forestall him from leaving, according to a constabulary report.  

But he now says he regrets nan determination to telephone nan police, and stood by his woman arsenic she pleaded not blameworthy to nan charges against her connected Monday.

Taunton Police Sgt. George Lozado said successful his constabulary study that officers responded to nan O'Connell's location connected Worcester Street soon aft 8pm connected Friday, and recovered Ted connected his cellphone successful nan driveway.

When officers proceeded to inquire Ted what had happened, he relayed that he and nan politician sewage into a marital conflict - and claimed she spot him. 

'Mr. O'Connell stated that during their argument, his wife, Shaunna had spot him connected his near forearm and past proceeded to drawback a mini type of crowbar/gasket cleaner and had struck him pinch it connected his correct hand/knuckle area,' Lozado writes.

He noted he saw 'an unfastened coiled connected nan near forearm area that appeared to beryllium accordant pinch [Ted] being bit,' arsenic good arsenic 'multiple unfastened wounds' connected his correct manus knuckles.

'Mr. O'Connell went connected to authorities that he attempted to time off nan residence successful his vehicle, astatine which clip his woman had jumped connected nan hood of his vehicle, truthful he was not capable to leave.'

'I did observe a mini dent connected nan beforehand information of nan hood and besides a bent broom successful nan driveway,' Lozado said.

But he noted Ted did not declare he was deed by nan broom.

He past refused aesculapian attraction and declined to record an emergency restraining bid against his woman - telling nan officers that he was concerned for her well-being.

When constabulary past entered nan home, Lozado said Shaunna initially told cops she 'had nary intention' of opening an upstairs doorway aft they asked to speak pinch her.

But Lozado said he was 'able to look done a mini ace and observe Shaunna connected nan phone, and she did not look to person immoderate injuries.'

At immoderate point, nan politician relented, and fto nan officers successful to mobility her while she sat connected a bed, nan constabulary study says.

She many times said she did not cognize what had happened, and erstwhile officers asked her specifically what caused her husband's injuries, Shaunna allegedly said erstwhile again she did not cognize - but later added he 'had been verbally abusive to her.'

As she was being questioned, nan acting constabulary main arrived connected nan scene, Lozado wrote.

The main was past told location was capable probable origin to apprehension nan politician connected home violence-related charges, and nan main informed nan politician that she was nether arrest.

She past reportedly grabbed a brace of shoes earlier she was handcuffed and led outside.

'Upon exiting nan residence, she attempted to spot her hubby again and began yelling towards him,' Lozado wrote.

The politician was past led into a constabulary cruiser and 'placed successful a unafraid compartment to await bail.'

The pursuing day, Shaunna tried to downplay nan incident successful a connection released by her run spokesperson.

'Ted and I person been joined for 27 years,' she said, according to WPRI. 

'Like each couples, we person had challenges. We've been moving done marital issues.

'During an argument, Ted progressive nan police, and regrets making that decision.'  

Ted later agreed, arsenic he was seen holding his wife's manus arsenic they walked retired of nan courthouse connected Monday.

'I apologize for calling nan police,' he said. 'I apologize to my woman and nan group of Taunton. It was a immense mistake.'

O'Connell was first elected politician successful 2019, and is now serving her 3rd two-year term.

She had antecedently served arsenic a Republican authorities representative, and won her first predetermination by conscionable 31 votes arsenic she accused her Democrat force of being excessively soft-on-crime.

As a representative, she pushed for nan reinstatement of nan decease punishment successful Massachusetts, introduced authorities to fastener up migrants and railed against a judicial nominee who supported criminal justness reform.

'Massachusetts has a estimation for being soft-on-crime, and unluckily that hurts our nationalist safety,' she said successful 2018.

She later made headlines erstwhile her girl went missing from a curen center successful Ohio last year.

Police successful Columbus recovered Riley O'Connell 5 days later unsocial and reportedly unharmed arsenic she wandered astir nan city. She later moved backmost to Taunton to unrecorded pinch her parents.

Shaunna has now pleaded not blameworthy to nan charges against her connected Monday, and was released connected her ain recognizance but issued an bid not to maltreatment her husband.

The politician is owed backmost successful tribunal connected September 12.