A Vermont Republican state senator running for reelection has pleaded not guilty to a charge that he slapped his grown daughter during a fight over a moldy bale of hay.
Story Snapshot
- On Wednesday, October 28, Sen. Terry Williams pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor domestic assault in Rutland.
- Police say his 47-year-old daughter told them he hit her in the face with an open hand on Monday, October 26.
- Williams told police the contact was an accident as she moved toward him, and his lawyer says he is not guilty.
- The charge came less than a week before Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.
- Williams was arrested and held at a Rutland jail on $500 bail; at his hearing the next day, a judge dropped the bail and released him on conditions.
- According to police affidavits, his daughter said he called her “a miserable woman” and told her, “I should have punched you 40 years ago.”
Charge And Plea In Rutland Court
Terry Williams, 74, of Poultney, is a two-term Republican state senator from Rutland County. He is accused of domestic assault, a crime in Vermont that covers causing pain or injury to a family or household member. Vermont State Police said their investigation found probable cause that he “had caused pain and injury to a household member.” Probable cause means police believed there was enough evidence to charge him. It is not proof of guilt.
Troopers went to his home around 5:40 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, after his daughter reported the incident from the night before. Williams was arrested and held at a Rutland jail on $500 bail. At his court hearing the next day, a judge dropped the bail and released him on conditions, including no contact with the alleged victim or witnesses. The charge carries up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine on conviction.
What His Daughter Told Police
According to police affidavits, which are sworn written statements filed with the court, the daughter lives with her father. She told police the two had a shouting argument in the kitchen after she tried to apologize for a moldy bale of hay. She said he called her “a miserable woman” and told her, “I should have punched you 40 years ago.” She said he then hit her with what she believed was an open hand. She told police it was the first time he had ever hit her.
A trooper reported a “reddish colored abrasion,” or scrape, running from her left eyelid down to her cheek. She sent a family member a text saying Williams “hit me.” She also told police she believed he had been drinking.
Williams’s Side Of The Story
Williams told police the argument began over pallets in the horse barn and grew when he said he wanted her to move out. He said that when she moved toward him, he “put his left hand up and pushed his left hand out,” and it made contact with her face. He said the scratch happened in the scuffle and that she had no scratches when she left. A trooper noted that Williams’s left ring finger was swollen.
His lawyer, Toni Dutil, said, “Sen. Williams is not guilty of the alleged offense.” She added that “family dynamics can be complicated.” Williams did not respond to reporters. In court, the prosecutor asked that he be barred from drinking alcohol. The judge said no, noting, “There’s no indication from the trooper that Mr. Williams was otherwise impaired.”
Timing, Politics, And What Comes Next
The case landed days before voters go to the polls. Gov. Phil Scott, a fellow Republican, had endorsed Williams. A spokesperson said the governor was “completely surprised and troubled” and would assess the situation as more details come out. Senate Minority Leader Scott Beck said Senate Republicans had reviewed the police affidavits and that “allegations need to be treated seriously.” The state Republican Party chair declined to comment.
Williams is on the ballot against, among others, independent David Wolk, a former Democratic state senator. The case will move through the court on its own schedule, separate from the vote. Williams is presumed innocent, and the charge will be decided on the evidence presented in court.
Sources:
vermontpublic.org, sevendaysvt.com, vtdigger.org, bostonglobe.com, nbcboston.com, cbs6albany.com
