Taunton Mayor Shaunna L. O'Connell and her husband are attempting to quash the criminal charges that arose from a domestic incident this past July. The mayor faces charges of assault and battery on a family member and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Her attorney, James McMahon, filed a motion to dismiss the complaint in the Attleboro District Court, arguing that without the testimony of the victim—O'Connell's husband, Edward M. O'Connell—there would be no witness to the charges. According to a report by Taunton Gazette, Edward O'Connell plans to exercise his right against self-incrimination and will not testify against his wife.
On July 19, 2024, an altercation between the couple allegedly became physical, leading to the mayor being accused of biting and striking her husband with a small crowbar-type tool. Following the dispute, Edward O'Connell contacted the police first, a fact he later regretted, as detailed in his affidavit. "I wish I had never called the Police; and, I regret doing that," Edward O'Connell said in a statement obtained by the Boston Globe. This sentiment underpins the couple's request for dismissal, citing a reconciliation.
Edward O'Connell's Sept. 19 statement outlined in the motion provides further context to the incident, revealing that he suspected his wife would call the police during their argument and thus decided to step outside their home to make the call first. "I did not tell them all of the details and circumstances; and in hindsight, I may not have been accurate in my descriptions," he stated regarding his communication with the officers that day. Shaunna O'Connell, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, retreated to an upstairs bedroom with her cell phone during the dispute for safety, locking the door behind her. When the authorities arrived for a wellness check, she eventually opened the door but was, according to police, initially uncooperative.
The O'Connells have both signed affidavits asserting their desire to see the charges dropped. Shaunna O'Connell's affidavit, which includes her recounting of the events, emphasized her actions to secure herself and the limited information she provided to the police upon their arrival. "I went upstairs to our second-floor bedroom, with my cell phone in my hand, and I locked the door behind me, where I felt safe," the mayor said, as reported by the Boston Globe. Her lawyer has requested a hearing on Oct. 18 to address the motion to dismiss. At the time of reporting, Bristol District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III has not publicly commented on the matter.
