Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 21 august 2019

Judge acquits Mississippi lawmaker

accused of punching wife

LUCEDALE, Miss. (AP) — A McLeod not guilty of a Doug McLeod opened the
judge on Tuesday acquit- misdemeanor domestic door for Karg and said “Are
ted a Mississippi lawmaker violence charge during a you kidding me?” when
of a domestic violence one-day bench trial after Karg told him why he was
charge in which he was McLeod’s wife testified on there, according to the
accused of punching his her husband’s behalf. court testimony. After walk-
wife in the face because The Sun Herald reports Mi- ing back inside the house,
she didn’t undress quickly chele McLeod testified that McLeod returned outside
enough when he wanted her husband drank less than and said, “I’m sorry. I’m sor-
to have sex. two tumblers full of wine, ry, man.”
In a Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017 file photo, Rep. Doug McLeod,
R-Lucedale, questions a health care witness at a House George County Justice mixing them with prescrip- Karg said McLeod was
Medicaid Committee hearing, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. Court Judge Mike Bullock tion-strength painkiller on drinking out of a glass that
Associated Press found state Rep. Doug May 18. Michele McLeod smelled like “wine or al-
said Doug McLeod was “in cohol.” Defense attorney
a state of delirium” when Christopher Dobbins fo-
one of his limbs, “probably cused Tuesday on the three
his arm,” hit her face. different police reports pro-
Michele McLeod had re- duced in the case. While
fused to cooperate with or on the stand, Karg testified
testify for the prosecution. that Michele McLeod told
Before announcing his ver- him she was hit because
dict, Bullock said that he she was not undressing fast
could understand after enough for sex, mirroring
hearing the wife’s testi- what Merrill testified to earli-
mony how Doug McLeod er in the morning. However,
could have struck her ac- one of the three reports left
cidentally. that detail out, and Karg
Michele McLeod’s testimo- said his body camera was
ny contrasted with body off when Michele McLeod
camera video recorded by told him that. McLeod, a
a deputy who responded second-term Lucedale
to the home May 18. In the Republican, represents
video recorded that night, parts of George and Stone
Michele McLeod described counties in southeast Missis-
her husband as an angry sippi. He stands unopposed
drunk. “Anything can trig- for reelection and his arrest
ger him to get like that,” she came after the qualifying
told George County Sher- deadline for the November
iff’s Deputy Robert Karg. ballot.
“He lost it. He gets like that Despite his acquittal,
when he drinks too much.” McLeod could still face re-
The deputy arrived after percussions in the Legisla-
Magen Merrill, a friend of ture. House Speaker Philip
Michele McLeod who was Gunn, a Clinton Republi-
present that night, called can, said he would refer
911. Merrill testified Tuesday the matter to the House
that Michele McLeod ran Ethics Committee.
into an upstairs bedroom “This whole situation is still
where Merrill was. Merrill very concerning, not only
said she locked the door to me, but to many other
and wouldn’t let Michele members of the House of
McLeod wash her hands Representatives,” Gunn
and face until deputies ar- said in a statement. “The
rived. When Karg came to court may have found Rep.
the front door, Merrill said McLeod not guilty, but as a
she couldn’t go down to member of the Mississippi
meet him because Doug Legislature to find yourself
McLeod was pounding on in this situation — it is still an
the bedroom door. issue.”q