Damning Admissions by Wife

Damning Admissions
by Former Wife

The former wife of Ken Newell made some startling admissions at the hearing before Judge Langlois in December.

January 9, 2001

‘Bruised’ Eye Is Merely A Blemish
The former wife admitted on cross-examination by Chester Darling that the “bruise” on her right eye which she showed to police in 1998 is merely a visible reddish blemish which she has had since she was sixteen-years-old. She explained that it is a broken capillary that rose to the surface of the skin.

Attorney Darling asked why it was not visible to him that day in the courtroom. She began to tell a bizarre story that she fell on it in the shower six months ago and it disappeared. But she was interrupted. Later she admitted to Darling that she covered it with make-up. She defiantly asked Darling if he wanted her to take off her make-up.

According to the police report from 1998, she held a cloth on her face when she accused Newell of punching her in the right eye. Sgt. Marble of the Holbrooke Police wrote that he looked at her eye, noted a “reddish purplish bruise” and arrested Newell. That arrest was the one for which Newell was forced to accept a plea bargain last August even though he is innocent. It led to the original restraining order against Newell, loss of his children and a hellish series of arrests, court appearances and financial ruin.

Chester Darling asked Officer Marble if the wife had a warm or cold cloth on her eye. Marble said he didn’t know. Darling asked him if she had ice on it. Marble thought for a moment and answered, “No,” with a look on his face as though he had never realized it before.

Drugs
A DSS file on the former wife had been subpoenaed by Pauline Quirion, the former wife’s free lawyer from Greater Boston Legal Services. Attorney Darling and his client were granted only a short opportunity to look through the thick file in the courtroom.

In a dramatic moment, Attorney Darling produced some pages from the DSS file titled “Substance Abuse,” and declared, “Your honor, I enter this into evidence as Exhibit A.”

The horrified poverty lawyer objected. The judge reminded her she was the one who had subpoenaed the file. Quirion asked to see the report which was titled “Substance Abuse” and then complained to the judge that it was a court record. She couldn’t understand why it was in the DSS file.

The judge asked social worker Kelly Lownds if the DSS file she brought to court is what is normally available at DSS. Lownds was there as a witness for the former wife and was her caseworker. The social worker said yes but she didn’t know for certain. She said the keeper of the records at DSS gave her the file after the agency received the subpoena.

The judge said he didn’t know how he could allow the drug abuse report in under the rules of evidence because the DSS keeper of the records wasn’t present in the courtroom. He ordered the report to be “marked for identification.”

Darling asked Lownds if there was any mention of drug use by the former wife in the DSS report which was generated after the alleged domestic violence incident in 1998.

Lownds answered yes.

The former wife admitted on the stand that she had tested positive for marijuana use and when Darling asked her if she ever brought her children with her to purchase drugs, she answered, “Absolutely not.”

Newell blames the start of the family problems on his wife’s drug use. He says his wife smoked marijuana over his objections since they were married and it causes her moods and behavior to deteriorate, especially when she combines it with psychiatric drugs prescribed for her. He says his attempt to get her treatment is what prompted her to level false charges against him.

Their two children are still entrusted to her care despite evidence of her drug use and psychiatric problems.

“List”
The former wife testified that she found a list that Ken Newell made containing license plate numbers and phone numbers of various DSS workers who visited her. Apparently she was trying to imply that he is a dangerous stalker.

Attorney Darling asked to see a copy of the list. Poverty lawyer Quirion produced a sheet of paper from the DSS file.

Later, DSS Social Worker Lownds testified that she felt threatened by Newell because he wrote down her license plate and phone number. She believes he made hang-up calls to her. She also said she saw a Bronco outside her apartment as well as outside the former wife’s house that she thinks belonged to Newell.

Darling showed the paper to Lownds.

After the judge looked at it, he noted that it wasn’t a list of names and there were no license plate or phone numbers on it as the former wife had testified earlier. The paper had Lownds name, address and make of car scribbled on it.

Newell looked at it and denied it was his handwriting.

Lownds said she has only seen the single sheet of paper with her name on it given to her by the former wife, but she said other DSS names are on other sheets of paper. Darling asked Lownds if she ever personally saw any other names of DSS workers on other papers. Lownds said no. Asked if such a list exists, she said, “It may.”

When asked if she had any personal animus against Newell, she answered yes, she’s upset that he took down her car information.

Lownds testified that her assessment of the former wife is that she is “very credible.” Darling asked her if a person makes repeated unsubstantiated calls to the police, would that affect her assessment?

“Yes it would.”

“Were you personally aware that Mrs. Newell shoplifted?”

“Yes.”

Although Newell denied he was the author of the “list” presented in court, Darling asked Newell to tell the court why he stopped to look at cars in the driveway whenever he passed the house. (Newell had permission on his restraining order to access his business office and landscaping equipment behind the family home where the wife was still living.) Newell testified that whenever he went to his office, he would look to see who was parked in the driveway in an attempt to find out who was selling drugs to his wife.

More Bizarre Testimony from Former Wife
Under cross-examination by Chester Darling, the former wife’s demeanor changed noticeably compared to her display of meekness and trembling voice when questioned by her own lawyer. With Darling, her voice became strong and firm and her eyes remained fixed on the lawyer in a burning, unblinking glare.

Darling asked about an incident that occurred In July of 1998 when Ken Newell was trying to get psychiatric help for her. Holbrooke Police Officer Reddy reported at the time that he responded to a call from Newell who played a message on his answering machine by a voice the officer recognized as the wife’s. According to the officer’s report, the voice warned Newell that “she would have him taken care of and to watch his step and don’t go out alone at night.”

The former wife’s bizarre response to Darling’s questioning was, “Officer Reddy is in love with me.”

She also testified that Newell made several threats to bury her in the back yard along with his first wife. When asked if Newell’s first wife is still alive, she answered, “Oh yes, she’s living on the Cape.”

Several issues of the Massachusetts News were entered into evidence. When Darling asked the former wife if the MassNews articles upset her, she answered, “No, it just shows that my husband is obsessed.”

Darling pointed out to her that the newspaper questioned how she could drive a new car yet receive free legal counsel. She acknowledged she does drive a new Camaro and also receives social security checks for her psychiatric disability.

Another Father Was Punished for Doing What Judge Langlois Suggested

Why Did Judge Langlois Talk About 'Two Charges'?