Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Arkansas Politics Jeremy Hutchinson's ex-girlfriend arrested for battery in scrap
Posted by Max Brantley on Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Here's the police report. It says officers went to Hutchinson's Chenal Woods condo about 8 p.m. last night on report of a disturbance. Though there'd been a report of a woman locked in a bathroom, police said both were calm when they arrived. McGee said Hutchinson, 38, had thrown her on a couch and showed officers a swollen lip and scratched arm. He said she'd hit him with a preserved alligator head. He had a bleeding wound on the left side of his head. Both were taken into custody, but the report said officers decided her injuries weren't contemporaneous or consistent with her statement. Hutchinson was released without being charged. She was charged with third-degree domestic battery. The report describes McGee as having had a former relationship with Hutchinson. It doesn't say why she was at his apartment last night.
I think the circumstances allow me to reveal that I'd spoken several weeks ago with McGee, who'd sought help about a disagreement with Hutchinson. She'd been living in his condo on East Third Street (listed as her address on the police report) but he was anxious for her to move out, she said, though he'd continued to visit her periodically. She said she had a financial support agreement with the lawmaker, whom she'd met while working as a waitress. She didn't want a news story, but called seeking some place to turn for help. I referred her to a lawyer, but never heard further of what came of those discussions.
McGee's relationship with Hutchinson began while he was still married to his ex-wife and became known during the course of their divorce, granted in December 2011.
I've attempted to contact McGee and Hutchinson for further comments. McGee is still in jail, however. She didn't make an appearance in district court this morning and the jail website says no bond amount has yet been set.
UPDATE: Hutchinson said he was reluctant to comment about the event because he'd likely be a witness in a court case arising from the charge. He emphasized that McGee was a former girlfriend and that it was he who initiated the call to 911. "This has been an ongoing problem and last night I felt I had no other option but to call 911. ... A bad night has turned into a worse day."
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