The attorney for a former Somerset County Jail corrections officer said an agreement was reached Monday with Superior Court Justice Robert Mullen to postpone the domestic violence case against his client until early summer.
Attorney Ross Fichthorn, who is court appointed, said the judge agreed to continue the case against Jeremy A.E. Carr, 33, of Skowhegan, until May. Carr is free on bail following his arrest and initial court appearance in October on a charge of domestic violence assault for allegedly putting his then-girlfriend in a choke hold after she reportedly caught him in bed with another woman.
Carr, who had worked at the county jail for about four months, had been placed on administrative leave without pay from his job at the jail in East Madison pending the results of an internal investigation, Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster said in October. He no longer is employed by the jail, Lancaster said Monday.
Fichthorn said Carr also continues his not guilty plea in the case. Fichthorn said Carr was protecting his female guest when his girlfriend of five years, Angela Roy, entered the bedroom and created a disturbance.
“He is innocent of the charges that the state has brought against him,” Fichthorn said in an email to the Morning Sentinel. “The alleged victim in this case entered his apartment without his permission. Based on the erratic conduct of the alleged victim, Mr. Carr exercised his legal right to defend his female guest and his property. We look forward to defending against the state’s charges in court.”
Skowhegan Police Chief David Bucknam said Sgt. Brian Gardiner, who is now deputy police chief, responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at Indian Ridge Apartments off West Front Street at about 9:20 p.m. Oct. 15.
“It was reported 33-year-old Jeremy Carr had choked his girlfriend … from behind and pulled her to the ground, ” Bucknam said in October.
Bucknam said Roy, 42, reportedly found a 31-year-old woman in Carr’s bed when she entered the bedroom of his apartment. She lived in a separate unit and since has moved.
Roy reportedly yelled at Carr and the other woman, and Carr grabbed her from behind and “put her in a choke hold, effectively cutting off her ability to breath,” Bucknam said.
“She received injuries from both the choke hold and falling to the ground and was treated at Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan,” he said.
Roy said Carr has a history of violence against women but said she does not have evidence or supporting documents to back up her claim. On Monday, she said she looks forward to the trial and hopes Carr’s past behavior will be revealed.
District Attorney Maeghan Maloney said Carr has no prior domestic violence charges or convictions and scores low on the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment process, used to determine if someone is safe to be out on bail.
The Ontario approach is a danger assessment tool that helps to determine the level of risk an abused woman has of being hurt again by her intimate partner, according to the website dangerassessment.org. It’s been adopted by the Maine Legislature as an evidential measure for future behavior.
“As far as I know, Mr. Carr has no prior criminal history,” Maloney said. “It is always difficult for a victim to speak publicly about domestic violence assault, and I admire anyone with the strength to do so. The domestic violence unit in my office is committed to doing all that we can to keep victims safe and bring offenders to justice.”
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
dharlow@centralmaine.com
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow
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