Brian Rasic/WireImage“American Pie” singer/songwriter Don McLean pleaded guilty to assaulting his now-ex-wife, Patrisha, this past January, the Portland Press-Herald reports. The plea came Thursday as part of a plea deal in a Rockland, Maine court.
According to the newspaper, the 70-year-old musician pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, criminal mischief and criminal restraint. The court ruled that if McLean abides by the agreed-upon stipulations for one year, he will then be required to pay $1,000 for each count, while the domestic violence assault charge will be dismissed.
The Portland Press-Herald further reports that McLean must stay away from his ex-wife and avoid direct or indirect contact her, and is a required to undergo a mental health evaluation within 60 days, or else there will be no dismissal of the domestic violence assault charge and he may also face an open plea.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred January 18 at the McLean residence in Camden, Maine, during which Patrisha alleged that Don assaulted her and threatened her life. The singer was arrested but was released later that day on $10,000 bail. He also claimed that the charges were untrue.
Don and Patrisha later announced that they were reconciling, but in March she filed for divorce on grounds of “adultery, cruel and abusive treatment and irreconcilable differences.” The divorce was finalized last month.
At the court proceedings on Thursday, Patrisha said in a statement, “Don took away 30 years of my life by controlling every aspect of it through violence and fear of violence,” adding that she still feared him because he repeated told her he’d kill her if she left him.
Meanwhile, McLean’s attorney, Walter McKee, later maintained in an email sent to the newspaper that Patrisha’s statements were “provably false.”
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