Police: Ex-Bush lawyer tried to kill wife (Former W.H. Deputy Counsel John Farren)

[Ian David]

Source: Associated Press (via New England Cable News)

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - A former top attorney to President Bush is facing charges that he tried to kill his wife at their Connecticut home by beating her with a flashlight and strangling her.

John Michael Farren, 57, was charged with strangulation and attempted murder. He was arraigned Thursday and held on $2 million bond.

Police said his bloodied wife, Mary, passed out during the attack Wednesday night at their New Canaan home but regained consciousness and fled the house with her children. She was in stable condition at Norwalk Hospital with a broken nose, a broken jaw and other injuries.

Her husband's attorney, Eugene Riccio, declined to comment. An arrest affidavit says the attack occurred after Mary Farren delivered divorce papers to her husband Monday.


Read more: http://www.necn.com/Boston/New-England/2010/01/07/Police-ExBush-lawyer-tried/1262891262.html

---

I guess the Enhanced Interrogation after she served him with divorce papers went poorly.

[avaistheone1]

1. Don't blame the hubby.

He was just trying to do everything he could to save both of them from the sin of divorce.




:sarcasm:

[niyad]

2. republican family values in full force

[louis-t]

3. Repugs love killin' people.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[Judi Lynn]

7. What does this article have to do with inner city people? n/t

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

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[louis-t]

18. Huh? What does "inner city gangs" have to do with anything?

And why would you be defending a guy who beats his wife up?

[No Elephants]

34. Do many gang members vote? And how on earth do you know how they vote, if they vote at all?

[Judi Lynn]

5. As the Southern Baptists have informed everyone, wives need to learn to submit to their husbands.

This man must be a fine Southern Baptist, and his wife will probably learn her lesson, if she doesn't die first.

[musette_sf]

33. The Southern Baptists aren't big in New Canaan

But I can tell you that Fairfield County is no stranger to domestic violence. The Domestic Violence Crisis Center of Fairfield County has more high-profile affluent clients than one might imagine.

[wilt the stilt]

6. anger management

take a class and all will be forgiven.

[davsand]

8. I guess he didn't get the memo that says water-boarding is ok.

Gotta love those Republican Family Values guys! If he'd followed the memo and only water-boarded her it would have been perfectly legal--right?

:puke:


Laura

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. More GOP violence

Gee I am so shocked. :sarcasm:

[Ilsa]

11. Golly Gee, why would she want to divorce a guy like that? (insert sarcasm smilie here) nt

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. Another perfectly good marriage ruined by teh gays

.

[Wizard777]

13. That wasn't Attempted Murder. It was just a harsh interrogation.

The next time he asks her what's for dinner....... :wow:

[Piwi2009]

15. "the next time he asks her what's for dinner"

She should answer, "Lamb with rosemary, new potatoes and baby peas," and mutter to herself, "Where did I hide that can of odorless, tasteless, undetectable rat poison? Insurance premiums all paid up - big mistake heh heh heh!"

[UpInArms]

16. here's a pic of the perp

she should have left him sooner and never looked back

[Doctor_J]

20. Looks like she fought back

too bad some scissors weren't within her reach

[No Elephants]

36. Not exactly the face of remorse, is it?

[bitchkitty]

17. Have courage, Mary Farren!

She is a brave woman to have served those papers on him, I'm sure she knew full well what he was capable of. I hope that she and her children find safety and refuge from this inhuman fucking prick, and I hope that her children are not already damaged by him.

[No Elephants]

35. If she knew what he was capable of, why did she serve him herself?

If she told her lawyer that her husband is abusive, the lawyer really messed up.

[Jumping John]

19. Brit Hume can now counsel him to get right with Jesus- AMEN - nt

[Judi Lynn]

21. If Jeezus helps him to be like Hume, his loved ones will kill themselves & he he won't have to. n/t

[boomerbust]

22. Conn. police: Ex-Bush lawyer tried to kill wife

Source: AP

NEW HAVEN, Conn.— An attorney who worked in both Bush administrations was charged Thursday with trying to kill his wife by beating her with a flashlight and choking her two days after she delivered divorce papers.

John Michael Farren, 57, was arraigned on charges of strangulation and attempted murder and ordered held on $2 million bail.

His wife, Mary Farren, was beaten so severely Wednesday night at their New Canaan home that she was at points knocked unconscious and lost vision, police said. She managed to sound an alarm and flee the house with her two children.

Farren was general counsel at Xerox Corp. in 2007 when he was named deputy White House counsel during George W.George W. Bushneral counsel at Xerox Corp. in 2007 when he was named deputy White House counsel during George W. Bush's second term. He was previously undersecretary for international trade in the Commerce Department under Bush's father, President George H.W. Bush; deputy manager for the elder Bush's 1992 re-election campaign; and deputy director for his transition team in 1989.


Read more: http://www.rr.com/news/topic/article/rr/1110/9965288/Conn_police_Ex-Bush_lawyer_tried_to_kill_wife

[Turbineguy]

23. Well yes, but then again

what kind of woman would marry a guy who would work for Bush?

:hide:

[MetaTrope]

24. Obviously not that close a connection with Bush

Otherwise this never would have happened, she would have been found in a car wreck instead.

[Demeter]

25. Prayers for the Woman and Her Children

there but for the grace of God...

[Karia]

26. More info in today's paper

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/policereports/article/Former-White-House-lawyer-charged-with-attempting-312809.php

[robo50]

27. These kinds of stories never surprise me, for some reason. I almost

expect men who were or are powerful Republicans to harbor lots of hate, viciousness, and instability in their psyche.

Republican men seem predisposed to settling lots of problems with some form of violence. My opinion.

[truthisfreedom]

28. Ouch! Damn those bushes and their bush problems.

He's so screwn.

[Karia]

29. This is NOT the first time he's beaten her

http://www.truecrimereport.com/2010/01/john_farren_former_bush_white.php
She told police that she's fearful her husband, if released, will try to kill her and possibly their 7-year-old and 4-month-old daughters too. "She adamantly wanted the police and court to know that he has an explosive and uncontrollable temper and he will kill her," according to the police report.
<snip>
Mary says this wasn't the first time her husband attacked her. She says he also beat her three years ago, about the time he became deputy White House counsel to President Bush.

[katkat]

30. WTF

So, she's a "big shot lawyer" who presumably earns a salary and can support herself and the kids and this is not the first time he's beaten her, and she's crazy enough to serve the papers in person.

I'm waiting for someone to explain to me why this woman didn't run out the door years ago. Sorry, apologists, the she has no money and depends on him for support mime won't make it this time.

[musette_sf]

32. Initially I had the same thoughts as you:

She's an attorney, she certainly knows the DV protection rules and routines.

But then I thought about it a little more, and here's why I think she tried to do it face to face:

She knew his temper was violent.

She also knew he has a lust for power - no one would work for either of the Bushes in any significant capacity unless they had a lust for power. AND he's a powerful attorney.

I suspect she weighed her options:

1. Leave secretly with the kids, and get him served by an uninvolved party. Possible result: He exercises his lust for power, and uses his job and position and powerful connections to (a) take the kids away from her, (b) assassinate her character, and (c) screw her over on the property settlement. (I can speak directly to the CT family court system and how effed up it is - this guy is a big cheese and in that court system he'd have a more than good chance of being able to lie like a rug in court and get over, and then destroy her emotionally and financially.)

2. Serve him face to face, and if he doesn't go postal, then she would have a pretty good indicator that she might be able to get a fair shake in the divorce.

3. Serve him face to face, and take a chance on him going postal. If he did, then she knew the cops would be called and his credibility would be, at the very least, in serious question - effectively negating the possibility that he would be able to get the kids, destroy her character, and get all or most of the money and property.

I think she had three choices that sucked, the second choice wasn't ever gonna happen, and faced with 1 or 3, took the risk of 3.

[WinterParkDonkey]

37. Does anyone remember these people--former GOP staffers?

President Reagan's personal attorney's son killed his mother shortly after RR's ignaguration-- happened in California.

Also, what was the name of the SEC Enforcement Officer that was a wife beater?

[Name removed]

31. Deleted sub-thread

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