ROCKLAND, Maine — The trial of a 30-year-old Rockland woman accused of assaulting a woman having an affair with her husband is expected to go to the jury Friday.
Jessica M. Arsenault is charged with burglary, aggravated criminal trespass, domestic violence assault, assault, criminal mischief and criminal threatening.
The incident occurred Dec. 14, 2011, in Thomaston. The trial began Thursday in Knox County Superior Court in Rockland.
The alleged victim of the crimes, a 21-year-old Thomaston woman, testified Thursday that Arsenault struck her more than once after entering her home and coming into the bedroom. The woman said she fell and smacked her face on the floor when Arsenault assaulted her.
Detective Dwight Burtis of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office testified the victim had bumps on her forehead and under her eye.
Arsenault was arrested that night by the sheriff’s office. She was indicted by a grand jury in January.
The defendant’s husband, Phil Arsenault, testified for the defense.
He said that he and his wife had separated and he had told her he was staying at various places including overnights at the alleged victim’s house before Dec. 14. He admitted having a romantic relationship with the woman.
Arsenault said he had told his wife that he and the other woman were just friends and he was sleeping on her couch. But on the morning of Dec. 14, his wife called his cellphone while he was with the other woman and she then came over to the apartment. He said that he opened the bedroom door to see the roommate of the alleged victim open the door of the apartment and his wife enter the apartment. Under cross-examination by Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Liberman, the husband denied allegations that his wife pushed her way past the roommate.
He said he tried to lock the bedroom door but he was unable to before she came into the bedroom.
He said his wife did not strike the other woman but grabbed her by the hair and the two “kind of danced around” until they all fell on the bed. He said he fell on both women.
He denied that his wife threatened to kill the other woman.
He told the jury that he and his wife are back together.
Attorney Robert Rubin is representing the defendant.
Justice Jeffrey Hjelm is presiding over the trial.
A jury, including an alternate, of seven men and six women is hearing the case. A doctor who treated the alleged victim is expected to testify Friday morning.
Why do women always attack the other woman ? Takes 2..No man is worth going to jail for….
If it were me, I would have kicked his butt and then would have definetly kicked hers. They both deserve it. She should have known not to mess with a married man.
“He said his wife did not strike the other woman but grabbed her by the
hair and the two “kind of danced around” until they all fell on the bed.
He said he fell on both women.”
First the two women were “”kind of dancing around” until they all fell on the bed.” Then he says “…he fell on both women.” One can summize what type of action he was hoping for as a guy. They are all lucky this a trial on assualt, and not murder. Love triangles are deadly.
Complete and total bull and lies under oath from him. If I had just gotten just my hair grabbed, then why did I have bruises for almost two weeks on my face? There’s so much evidence and pieces to this story that did not add up to the verdict that was given. Also, with saying he did not have time to get up and lock my bedroom door, that is why my door is split and lock is busted off. It’s okay, the one who matters most is looking down from up above and he will need to be facing him someday.
Quite a story.
Not as exciting as “Mommy Porn” , but exciting none the less.
How bout some photos BDN??
isn’t she lovely….
They should put the husband in jail too
I agree, there should be jail time for adultery! That means all of you out there that have had this happen to you…………could put a bill in the legislature to have adultry recognized in Maine.
I guess i have to agree with my wife on this one. If you are willing to sleep around with a married man, well then you should probably be expecting to get your butt kicked if she finds out about it.
She had known about everything for months, this is the result of a liar who tried to have his cake and eat it too and it finally caught up with him and it did nothing but drag others under! Don’t speak as if I were sleeping knowingly with a happily married man, when all reality he was doing nothing but lying about being seperated and playing decietful games. Not fair at all to anyone but doesn’t make it right for her to break into my home and attack me and walk away empty handed!
I know the type, and i am sorry for you as well, sorry that you bought into his lies and the falsehoods that most mistresses do when a man will lie in order to get what he wants out of BOTH women. I used to be like that long long ago, so i know exactly what this man is like. He is a pig, blaming her and even yourself for his terrible behavior. He needs serious help(which i was smart enough to get) or this cylcle will continue over and over again. You probably also should seek some help so the next person you choose will not be a man trying to hide a relationship, instead, wanting to build one with you. Sorry you were attacked but put yourself in this woman’s place…What would you have done if the roles had been reversed? Likely the same exact thing.
I would’ve thought of my children firstly and realized it isn’t worth risking losing them over a loser who has cheated on me for years. Furthermor than that, I would’n’t of been with him nor ever taken him back after the first time.
I’m in no way the only victim, but the law is the law and by people like this getting away with the things they do doesn’t make them learn at all, if anything fuels individuals to think they can get away with anything. My heart goes out to her and what she has dealt with but she knew for a long time about me, and had said herself they were seperated as well as he, and chose to keep believing in him as well as I did. I just wish I knew the truth sooner and I wouldn’t be in the position i’m in now.
I’m for this state recognizing adultry!!! There should be a fine for the person that committed adultry and you should be able to have it on your divorce decree. If more men and women throught they’d get the crap kicked out of them…………they’d stay out of the WRONG bed!!!! Too many lack respect and morals when it comes to themselves and others. I think adultry is one of the MOST abusive actions one human being can do to another…………and it’s not even recognized as a reason for divorce in this state. It’s one horrible act!!! …………..and NO, it’s never happened to me.
6 years ago, adultery was grounds for a divorce because that was what my divorce was granted on….my ex and girlfriend slithered off to arizona. SHE did me a favor, but i still should have the legal right to have had her locked up for it! She ended up with my ex and the proceeds from my retirement paid for THEIR wedding.
You must have had one crappy lawyer.
So by your reasoning, when I was younger and had a fiance cheat on me, I should have assaulted her? I’m definitly not condoning cheating or adultery, but this article did state that they were “seperated”, and even if they weren’t….violence is the answer?
The guy is thinking with the wrong head.
Good for her – pretty sure if I walked into an apartment and saw my husband in his ‘friends’ bedroom I would have done the same damn thing. The story doesn’t state if he was clothed or not – but seeing that he tried to lock the door to keep his WIFE out of the bedroom they were probably right in the middle of something! She went to the apartment to see him thinking that him and this girl were just friends and obviously walked in on him doing something! GOOD FOR HER. Hope she doesn’t get any time out of this…shes the one that was hurt the most in this – the husband should be ashamed of himself – as well as the 21 year old chick sleeping with a 30 year old married man!!
Oops…just realized it doesn’t have his age listed – still…shame on her!!!
I was never a friend, she had known about us for months. Age has nothing to do with any matter, it’s a matter of people neeeding to seek help for there mental issues and be prosecuted when commiting a crime. He is 28 years old, and yes I am 21 with a lot going for me. Do not judge by age please and assume you know the whole story, because there’s much to it that wasn’t said– We lived together, he was not living with her, and was “seperated” in his words…Truth was revealed sadly by this incident.
I woulda done more than pull hair. Hah. And the man? Hahaha. He wouldn’t be able to walk! Shes dumb getting back with him. What nimrod!
They have a baby together… unfortunately it’s not just as simple as walking away from a marriage when you have babies involved
You don’t teach your children self respect and love by going back to a cheating @sshat. You are right…it’s not simple, it’s worse due to this.
Husband and wife are back together…….what she do…….drag him back to the cave by the hair of his head?!
Why hasn’t anyone mentioned here that maybe the “wife” has a small screw loose? If they were indeed separated, why on earth would she be out looking for him, never mind knocking on the door of a place she supposedly knew he was staying at with a “friend”, if you ask me the wife went out looking for trouble and that’s exactly what she found.
Ahh…see they ‘story’ may say they were separated but seeing that they had a newborn baby they were working on things and he was still coming home most night, i’m not sure ‘separated’ is the right word!!!…and why is it not OK she went to look for HER HUSBAND….she honestly thought he was just crashing at a friends house – she did not know they were sleeping together.
Excuse me just going by what the story said so relax.You obviously know more about this than we do.
Sorry! Didn’t mean for that to sound rude!!!
Most certainly not true.
You couldn’t be more right.
I’ve never understood why people take out their anger on the cheatee rather than the cheater. The cheatee doesn’t owe you any obligation to protect your marriage.
And in many cases they don’t even know the person they’re hooked up with is married.
And even if they did…sheesh. No woman is responsible for keeping her hands off me. It is my responsibility to say “No I am married.” Simple as that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIb6AZdTr-A&ob=av3e
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE SEX WITH ANYONE
So exactly what did the 21 year ol’ tramp get ?? A husband who cheats on his wife !! Some prize !!
I know. I’ve always felt that if a woman has an affair with a married man, and she ends up with that man, eventually he’s going to cheat on her, too (and vice versa). I’ve seen it happen more than once.
Once a cheater, always a cheater, that’s why I got away from him.
This is the woman who was attacked in this situation, and NO it does not make it ok for one to break into anothers home and assault them! This “married” man had lied to me along with all his friends telling them all he was legally seperated and going through a process of divorce. This article didn’t state that she left her 8 mo daughter in the vehicle while breaking into my home and attacking me! There’s many sides to every story but when one lies and decieves another, it’s not fair at all to anyone involved and hurt. IF I had known he was still married and seeing his wife and myself I would’ve never looked teice his way. THIS WAS a long relationship that I ended and he still til this day is trying to contact me and tell me he loves me and my child that is on the way. She had issues way before he ever met me, and I’m not the only victim of his cheating ways.
What do you mean “IF I had known he was stilled married?”…..and you also state “THIS ‘MARRIED’ man lied to me along, telling them all he was legally seperated.” That’s just a contradictory statement. You KNEW he was married, yet still carried on with him. YOU didn’t end this…..SHE did. And now you’re all going to be forever connected, because you’re pregnant. Please stop playing the victim in all this. There are no victims, except his child with his wife and this child with you. ALL of you need to grow up!
I was implying with “married man” by what everyone keeps saying as if he had said that was his status. He had told me, along with others and friends that he was legally seperated and undergoing a divorce. No, she did not end things, I did. He still is this day has not changed, does not stop trying to contact me, nor do I think he ever will. I got betrayed, lied to, and used. If believing in a person who I had no reason not to at the time nd having a relationship makes me a bad person then so be it. I’m looking out for the sake nd safety of my son that’s on the way and no that does not mean I am stuck with them. I’m not the one who took a decietful, lying man back. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and feelings, but when the whole story isn’t presented and known.. don’t be quick to judge. No I’m not the only victim, my heart goes out to all that was hurt including children and his wife. God bless all and may life go on and learn from mistakes and find peace. Thank you
You changed your name……You ARE “stuck with them”, or at least him. He is legally responsible to pay you child support. If you plan on getting any benefits from DHS, even Mainecare, you will have to tell them who the father is and have DNA testing done if he disputes anything. And if you REALLY want him to stop contacting you, change your phone number, don’t answer any emails, block and delete him from Facebook (if you have him on your friends list still) and get a restraining order.
How is it cheating if they were separated? Lying, yes.
Posters think she would have been justified going after him too?? Again.. they were separated.
If this perp was a guy, it would be looked @ differently. He would be told to ‘get over it’..
If anyone should be on trial here it should be Phil….he’s the one that “inadvertently” brought these two together. Now he’s tired with the 21-year-old and back with his wife. What a man/husband/hero/jerk.
There’s no reason a simple assault case can’t be disposed of in less than 60-days. The prosecutor and judge need to get off their lazy hind quarters and do what they’re paid handsomely to do.
This is the woman who was attacked in this situation, and NO it does not make it ok for one to break into anothers home and assault them! THIS “MARRIED” man had lied to me along with all his friends and family telling them all he was legally seperated and going through a process of divorce. This aryicle didn’t state that she left her 8 mo daughter in the vehicle while breaking into my home and attacking me! There’s many sides to every story but when one lies and decieves another, it’s not fair at all. IF I had known he was still married and seeing his wife and myself I would’ve never looked teice his way. THIS WAS a long relationship that I ended and he stil til this day is trying to contact me and tell me he loves me and my child that is on the way that I found out after this incident. She had issues way before he ever met me, and I’m not the only victim of his cheating ways!
Bun in the oven. You need to keep your legs closed until your married.. just saying..
It takes two, but yes I understand. Majority of all either have children before they were married, or never were married at all and raised them with the same love and morals as a married person would. It’s a piece of paper in my eyes until you meet the right one.. clearly I did not.