TAUNTON — Mayor Shaunna O’Connell is facing criminal charges for allegedly attacking and injuring her husband in their home Friday night.
She was bailed out — it’s not clear exactly when — and was arraigned Monday morning in Taunton District Court.
But what would happen in terms of the ability of the mayor’s office to carry on the business of the city if O’Connell, or any other mayor for that matter, were to become unavailable due to an unexpected event?
One veteran city councilor says there’s a fail-safe arrangement in place designed to deal with such a circ*mstance.
Councilor Estele Borges said if any mayor unexpectedly becomes unavailable and a piece of city business needs to be handled, there’s always the option for the council president to assume certain duties and sign documents with the mayor’s consent and approval.
“She (Mayor O’Connell) was on vacation a few weeks ago,” Borges said. “If the council president isn’t available to sign for the mayor then the next person (councilor) in line does it.”
Mayor charged with domestic violence
O’Connell, 54, is charged with one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of domestic assault and battery on a family member — after police were called to investigate a disturbance Friday night at the Worcester Street home of the mayor and her husband Ted, the latter of whom called police.
The mayor was released without bail on her own recognizance after being arraigned Monday morning in Taunton District Court and is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on Sept. 12.
She’s alleged to have bitten her husband on the forearm, leaving what police called “an open wound,” and to have struck and injured his hand and knuckles with a metal tool called a gasket scraper, which police also described as a small crowbar.
She also allegedly jumped on her husband Ted’s 2007 Lexus sedan as he tried to drive away from the house.
After being arrested Friday night the mayor was brought to police headquarters where she was booked and placed in a holding cell until bail was posted.
A police report doesn’t indicate the bail amount of when she was bailed out.
What court records say
Council president does not expect disruption to day-to-day operations
City Council President David Pottier issued a statement later in the day on Monday that he expects the mayor to be “treated fairly and equitably” as any other citizen in a similar circ*mstance.
He also said he has faith in the city’s administration to “successfully manage day to day responsibilities” and that the City Council will be vigilant in ensuring that “a fair, thorough and transparent process is followed.”
Why didn't police confirm arrest until Monday?
Pottier said he was unaware that media outlets, including Taunton Daily Gazette, had been unable to get a response over the weekend from the Taunton Police Department, as to whether they responded to a disturbance call at the mayor’s house Friday night or if they had arrested and booked her.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Pottier said.
“I’m not privy to the process when it involves domestic violence cases,” he added. “But if that’s a problem then we can certainly talk about it, and I can refer it to (subcommittee chair) Jeff Postell’s police and license committee.”
O’Connell, during the brief arraignment, was warned by Judge Gloriann Moroney to not abuse her alleged victim. The mayor was represented in court by attorney James McMahon of Bourne.
Who is Daniel Bennett, the special prosecutor assigned to the case?
Gregg Miliote, spokesperson for Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, said Daniel Bennett has been assigned as a “special prosecutor” to handle the case.
“We don’t want any appearance of a conflict of interest,” Miliote explained after the arraignment Monday.
Bennett, in 2021, acted as special prosecutor for the DA’s office in an OUI case involving a New Bedford city councilor accused of leaving the scene of an accident.
What Ted O'Connell said after arraignment
After her arraignment, Mayor O’Connell — now in her third term as the city’s first female mayor — refused to answer reporters’ queries.
But her husband Ted at one point stopped briefly outside the courthouse to make a short statement: “I want to apologize to my wife and the Taunton police,” he said.
Reaction to the arrest
Local attorney Jordan Fiore, a former city councilor who has also served on a number of municipal boards and committees, said he feels badly for the mayor and her husband.
“It’s sad that something in someone’s personal life gets blown out of proportion,” Fiore, 69, said.
“Anyone can have a temper incident,” he said. “They seem to be a very happy couple, but who knows what tensions there are behind the scenes.”
Tracy O’Neill, who works downtown at Brennan’s Smoke Shop, said it’s unfortunate that the personal affairs of any elected official generates so much publicity.
O’Neill, 60, said she doesn’t think the charges against O’Connell should prevent or hinder her from carrying out her duties as Taunton’s mayor.
“I don’t think it’s going to affect her ability to do the job,” O’Neill said. “It will probably make her even more focused. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
In a written statement issued Saturday, Mayor O’Connell said that she and her husband Ted have been married for 27 years and have been “working through marital issues.”
The written statement also said that Ted “regrets making (the) decision to call police” the night of the alleged altercation.
The couple has two daughters.
City Council President Pottier, in his written statement, expressed his moral support for both the mayor and her husband.
“I know the mayor and Ted well and respect their family’s call for privacy at this time and wish them the best as they work on their personal matters,” Pottier said.
How long has Shaunna O'Connell been mayor?
O’Connell, 54, is serving her third two-year term as Taunton’s mayor. She was elected in 2019 following then-mayor Thomas Hoye’s appointment as Bristol County Register of Probate.
Prior to her becoming mayor, O’Connell, a Republican, served five terms from 2011 to 2020 in the Massachusetts State House as the 3rd Bristol district’s state representative.
