ROCKLAND, Maine — A 71-year-old man convicted July 21 of trying to kill his wife by pushing her off Maiden Cliff in Camden more than three years ago should serve at least 15 years behind bars, according to the prosecutor in the case.
District Attorney Geoffrey Rushlau asked in a written recommendation to the court that Charles Black get nearly the maximum 30 years for the attempted murder with some of the sentence suspended, provided that Black serves at least 15 years in prison.
Black is scheduled to be sentenced by Justice Joyce Wheeler at 1 p.m. in Knox County Superior Court.
Rushlau argued in his sentencing recommendation that Black was self-absorbed and self-indulgent. He pointed out how Black struck his now ex-wife Lisa Zahn in the back of the head three times with a rock, then dragged her to the edge of the 800-foot Maiden Cliff and pushed her off on April 7, 2011.
Evidence produced at the trial showed that Black reconnected in 2010 with his former high school girlfriend, who he had not seen in 50 years, and that the two were having an affair. Testimony also showed that Zahn had inherited $4 million in 2010, and that Black had been spending some of that money without her knowledge.
“This series of betrayals of his marriage were steps toward the ultimate betrayal,” the prosecutor stated.
Zahn also submitted a written statement to the court in which she described the impact the crime has had on her and her family.
“It’s been a living nightmare to accept that the man I loved and married very nearly succeeded with his plan to kill me,” Zahn stated in her letter.
Defense attorney Walter McKee said in his sentencing memorandum that he totally disagreed with the recommendation of the district attorney. He did not specify what he thought Black should serve, but said it should be substantially less severe than what the prosecutor was recommending.
McKee pointed out that Black has no criminal record and referred to letters that stressed the positive impact that Black had on the lives of many students during his career as a teacher.
Nine letters also were submitted to the court in support of Black and asking for leniency. The letters came from a doctor, lawyer, minister, retired teacher and former students of Black.
Dr. John Lewis of Camden said in one letter that he knows Black as a learned, kind, gentle and compassionate man “whom I would trust with my life.”
Attorney Joseph Beckerman of Missouri said he has known Black for 20 years.
“I believe Reed made a once-in-a-lifetime mistake in judgment and he is not a danger to society,” Beckerman said in his letter.
After Black pushed his wife off the cliff, she landed on a small ledge 10 feet below the top of the cliff. She managed to slide, fall, climb down, hike to Route 52 and flag down a passing motorist. Charles Black fell from the cliff and also was severely injured.
Wardens located him about two and half hours later. Both were hospitalized for eight days, and Black was arrested upon his release from the hospital.
He also was convicted of the lesser offenses of elevated aggravated assault and assault.
Black did not testify at his jury trial.