Don McLean fined for 2016 domestic violence offenses
ROCKLAND — Singer-songwriter Don McLean paid $3,660 in fines July 20 as the final condition of a deferred disposition agreement reached last year after he pleaded guilty in July 2016 to domestic violence charges originating from an assault on a woman at his Camden residence in January 2016.
One year later, on July 20, 2017, in a court hearing, the Office of the District Attorney agreed that McLean met the conditions of the deferred agreement and had a “good outcome,” which is terminology used by the District Attorney.
On July 21, 2016, McLean appeared before Justice William Stokes in Knox County Unified Court and pleaded guilty to domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, criminal restraint, and criminal mischief as part of a deferred disposition agreement.
The additional charges of domestic violence terrorizing and obstructing the report of a crime were dismissed.
The deferred disposition agreement stipulated that if McLean complied with its terms for the following year, the domestic violence assault charge would be dismissed and the fine on the three remaining counts would be $1,000 each.
The specifics of the agreement included that McLean cannot commit any additional crimes at the federal, state or local level during the next year, must complete an evaluation and treatment as recommended for mental health, anger management, and domestic abuse within sixty days, cannot have any contact, either direct or indirect, with the victim, and pay an administrative fee of $10 per month.
Since the Office of the District Attorney agreed that McLean met the conditions of the deferred agreement during the past year, he received a good outcome and will not serve any jail time.
If McLean did not comply with the agreement, he could have faced an open plea on all four counts, including the domestic violence assault charge, according to the court documents.
Attorney Chris MacLean, of Camden, who is Patrisha McLean’s counsel, said on July 25:
“One year ago, Don McLean plead guilty in open court to four charges filed by the District Attorney, domestic abuse toward Patrisha, including domestic violence assault. His blatant twisting of the facts involving resolution of the plea deal on July 20 are just further abuse,” said MacLean, speaking for his client. “Pat divorced him more than a year ago. She obtained a protection from abuse order in March 2017, and he was found in contempt of the order within 48 hours. She wonders what it will take for him to finally leave her alone.”
Christopher MacLean had also issued a statement to the court prior to the hearing on July 20, to make them aware of events that have taken place during the one-year deferred disposition period. MacLean states that the “victim requests that the courts give strict scrutiny to any materials presented documenting Don’s compliance with his deferred disposition conditions.”
The statement highlights that McLean will still not allow the victim to have any of the parties’ marital property in their homes. As part of their divorce judgement, the property was to be divided. Additionally, the victim still has not had any access to her clothing and any personal belongings, according to the statement filed in court.
The matter remains in arbitration, according to the victim’s attorney.
In January 19, 2016, a Rockland District Court judge had issued a temporary Protection from Abuse Order to the alleged victim in the domestic abuse case.
According to the court document filed, and the victim’s handwritten statement about the incident and past abusive incidents, the victim said that McLean "terrorized" her for four hours on Jan. 17, until she saw an opportunity to flee off a bed, grab her cell phone and run into the bathroom "just clicking the lock shut in time."
Camden police arrested McLean, 70, at his residence early Monday morning, Jan. 18. Police responded to a 911 call from the home shortly before 2 a.m. and following an investigation, charged McLean with one count of domestic violence assault. McLean was taken to Knox County Jail in Rockland, where he posted $10,000 unsecured bail and was released.
Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com
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Camden police arrest singer-songwriter Don McLean for domestic violence
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