CAMDEN, Maine — The Knox County District Attorney officially filed six charges Wednesday against renowned singer/songwriter Donald P. McLean in connection with a domestic violence assault that police say occurred last month at his residence.
The DA’s office filed charges against McLean of domestic violence assault, domestic violence terrorizing, domestic violence criminal threatening, criminal restraint, criminal mischief and obstructing the report of a crime.
The 70-year-old faces up to 364 days in jail on each of the offenses, which are all Class D misdemeanors.
A formal arraignment on the charges is scheduled for Monday in Knox County Unified Court. McLean’s attorney, Walter McKee of Augusta, said Wednesday that his client will not appear at the arraignment but that pleas of not guilty would be entered to all the charges.
The lawyer said he and McLean are looking forward to finally having access to police reports and “moving forward with an aggressive defense.”
McLean initially was arrested by Camden police on Jan. 18 at his Hope Road home and charged with domestic violence assault. He was released on unsecured bail a few hours after being taken to the Knox County Jail in Rockland.
According to the criminal complaint filed Wednesday, the assault charge alleges that McLean injured the woman or committed offensive physical contact. The terrorizing charge alleges that McLean threatened to assault or murder the victim. The criminal threatening charge alleges that he placed her in fear of imminent bodily injury.
The remaining charges allege that he prevented the woman from leaving the residence, destroyed a door and/or door frame and prevented her from using the telephone.
The woman is not being named by the Bangor Daily News because she is the alleged victim of domestic violence.
She was granted a temporary protection from abuse order last month. In the woman’s affidavit to the court in support of the request, she said McLean terrorized her for four hours from Sunday night until Monday morning and that she feared for her life before she managed to lock herself in a bathroom and call 911.
The woman and McLean agreed a few days later, on Jan. 25, to have the protection order dismissed.
Attorney Gene Libby of Kennebunk, who represents the woman, issued a statement on Feb. 10 which pointed out that his client agreed to dismiss her request for the protection order because she was receiving the identical protection under bail conditions imposed on McLean by the court as a result of his initial arrest. Among other things, those conditions prohibit him from having contact with her and from having firearms.
The woman will continue to cooperate with prosecutors and stands by the accuracy of the events she stated in her protection order request, Libby stated.
McKee issued his own statement last month in defense of McLean.
“Don stands by his unwavering statement from the beginning that none of what was alleged in the protection order case was true. There was never any abuse or criminal conduct by Don at all. The dismissal of the protection order case confirms that. Don is looking forward to moving beyond this and getting back to his life and his music.”
He also said in January that McLean and the woman had agreed to move forward and rebuild their lives together.
“This now becomes a private matter between two very talented people,” the attorney said.
The victim issued a statement last month in which she said she did not realize that the affidavit she submitted to the court to obtain the temporary protective order would be made public.
“I did not intend to define Don or our relationship based solely on the events recounted in the statement. Don has a big heart. He and I had many happy times,” the woman said. “I would ask everyone reading this to ignore the sensationalist, scabrous headlines and focus instead on the joy that Don, and his music, has given to so many for so long.”
Success came to McLean in 1969 when he recorded his first album, “Tapestry,” with a pair of songs from the record making the charts: “Castles in the Air” and “And I Love You So.”
Two years later, he recorded “American Pie,” one of the most iconic songs of the 20th century, and became an international star.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 866-834-4357, TRS 800-787-3224. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.