ADVOCACY

Public Hearing

Our founder/CEO Patrisha McLean worked with her legislator Vicki Doudera (D-Camden) for LD 1684 "An Act to Exclude from Eligibility for a Community Confinement Monitoring Program a Person Serving a Sentence for Certain Domestic Violence Crimes.”

This bill is in honor of Virginia Cookson, strangled to death in Bangor in September of 2024. Her ex-boyfriend charged with the crime was released from prison that February, years early from a prison sentence for almost killing his ex-wife Darcia Thorpe. He met Virginia in April, and five months later this mom was dead.  

Agnes Brackett and Nicole Bernhardt joined Patrisha in testifying in person and 11 others submitted written testimony in favor of this bill.

View the public hearing here – testimony for LD1684 begins at 2:14:02

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Here is a letter Patrisha received on May 1, 2025

5.1.2025

To Whom it May Concern

I am writing today regarding today's discussion surrounding : An Act to Exclude from Eligibility for a Community Confinement Monitoring Program a Person Serving a Sentence for Certain Domestic Violence Crimes

I am a Mother of a person who has committed Domestic Violence, not only once, but on several occasions, the final act resulting in the death of a beautiful single mother. Being released early and in community confinement is about as effective as a PFA. The person can basically do what they want and then it's too late!

Please hear my voice when I say, the ONLY safe place for  violent Domestic Violence Offenders is behind bars. Being released early from Prison, only to take a life should be more proof than you will ever need to know the right answer to this bill.  We need to protect our victims' rights and lives. The ONLY person who matters in this scenario is the victim, their families, their friends. 

The ripple effect of these crimes are immense. Speaking from the point of view of  a parent of one of these perpetrators; the fear and pain and sorrow is also real for the families of the people who commit these horrific crimes. My family lives in fear of his release, the rage spills over to all of us. 

I can not fathom who would not support this bill. Five women have been murdered in Maine this year already.  This needs to stop. We need to protect the innocent people in these scenarios. 

I beg you to think about how you would feel if your daughter or sister were a victim of domestic violence and how you would like the offender to be punished. Behind bars is the ONLY answer. 

PLEASE make the right decision today. The ONLY right decision.

Sincerely,

A very concerned and heartbroken parent

Testimonials (for and against!) our bill to prevent early release from jails and prison of domestic violence felons on Maine’s bogus “community confinement monitoring” programs.

Testimony of Nicole Bernhardt of Waterville

Good afternoon, my name is Nicole Bernhardt, I am with Finding our Voices, and l am here to testify in favor of LD1684.

In June of 2023 the father of my two children, and my partner for over 5 years, almost murdered me with his bare hands. This occurred in a public place, in broad daylight, in Waterville Maine. I fought him off as he tried to strangle and beat me for what felt like eternity. He successfully strangled me unconscious until a bystander and a police officer were able to pull him off me.

  • In June of 2023 the father of my two children, and my partner for over 5 years, almost murdered me with his bare hands. This occurred in a public place, in broad daylight, in Waterville Maine. I fought him off as he tried to strangle and beat me for what felt like eternity. He successfully strangled me unconscious until a bystander and a police officer were able to pull him off me. 

    He was sentenced last July to 18 years in prison for attempted murder. The reality of him getting out in 18 years is scary, the reality of him getting released early is even scarier. My life, my children's lives, and all whom l love, will be in grave danger. 

    When he almost killed me, he was out on $5,000 bail. His conditions were to stay away from me and our children, have no contact, nothing. l d had previous protection orders against him for hitting me, threatening me, and holding me and our children hostage in my house. He had been on probation before for a previous charge where he threatened to kill me, nothing ever worked. 

    Violent domestic abusers don't care about a piece of paper. 

    I would even say during those times the stalking, and the harassment became worse as if those orders put a target on my back because his anger towards me worsened. The bail conditions could not keep me safe, none of the protection orders could keep me safe. 

    There is no condition or paper, or monitoring system that could keep this man from hurting me or killing me as he intended to, the only thing keeping me safe is that he is in prison. The only thing keeping other women and Maine communities safe from him, is him being in total confinement. He is a dangerous person. There are many women who share in my experience and who haven't gotten as lucky as I, l survived, but some don't.

    How many more people must die before Maine does something about it. This bill would protect myself, my children, and countless other women and victims. We talk about Class A and Class B Domestic violence crimes, but what do they look like. My ex committed both class A and B domestic violence crimes against me. l almost died, I had a broken nose, a severe concussion, an injured esophagus, I could not eat for a month, I could not speak for over two weeks, my ear drums were damaged and bleeding from the pressure of being strangled, the blood vessels in my eyes all popped. 

     

    l could not go out in public for months because of all the bruising, the mental and emotional toll it took on me affected my ability to mother my children and my family had to step in. I was in intensive counseling for almost two years, and I have PTSD because of the incident. l still have episodes of vertigo, almost two years later, from what he did to me. Domestic violence is ugly, it's evil, and Maine victims and communities need to be protected from people who commit these atrocities. This Bill would help do that. Thank you.

Susan Brennan Board Member, Finding Our Voices

Esteemed members of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, 

I am honored to write as one of the newest board members of Finding Our Voices, an organization that supports women survivors of domestic abuse across the state of Maine. Since joining this organization, I have been stunned by the devastating statistics of domestic abuse homicides in our state. Many of these tragedies were preventable. It is unacceptable that victims are being retraumatized, or worse, endangered again by a system that allows early release from violent abusers under community confinement.

  • LD 1684 is a critical and urgent step toward ensuring the safety of Maine’s women and children. We cannot allow individuals convicted of serious domestic violence offenses to return to our neighborhoods prematurely under electronic monitoring programs that, in many cases, are not enough to protect their former partners. 

    Community confinement monitoring is a privilege. It should never be granted to those who have used their proximity and power to control, harm, and threaten the lives of others. Survivors deserve the assurance that when an abuser is sentenced, the consequences are real—and that their safety is prioritized over convenience or cost-cutting measures. Passing this bill sends a clear message: Maine takes domestic violence seriously. We value the lives of women. We will not compromise their safety for anything. I urge you to pass LD 1684 without hesitation. This legislation could save lives. 

    Thank you for your time and for your commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us.

    Sincerely, Susan Brennan Board Member, Finding Our Voices

Eleanor Busby, Damariscotta 

Dear Esteemed members of the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, 

I am writing to express my strong support for LD 1684, which seeks to amend current statutes to exclude individuals convicted of specific domestic violence offenses—namely domestic violence aggravated assault, elevated aggravated assault, and elevated aggravated assault on a pregnant person—from eligibility for community confinement monitoring programs.

  • Under existing law, certain inmates may be assigned to community confinement monitoring programs, allowing them to serve portions of their sentences outside traditional incarceration settings. While these programs can be beneficial for nonviolent offenders, extending such privileges to individuals convicted of severe domestic violence crimes poses significant risks. 

    The nature of domestic violence is inherently coercive and controlling. Allowing perpetrators of severe domestic violence offenses to serve sentences in less restrictive environments can undermine the safety and well-being of survivors. It may also send a message that the justice system does not fully recognize the gravity of these crimes. 

    Furthermore, the trauma experienced by survivors is compounded when they perceive that their abusers are not held fully accountable. Ensuring that individuals convicted of the most serious domestic violence offenses serve their full sentences in appropriate correctional facilities is a critical step toward affirming the state's commitment to protecting survivors and holding offenders accountable. 

    LD 1684 represents a necessary refinement of our criminal justice policies, aligning them more closely with the needs and rights of domestic violence survivors. By excluding individuals convicted of the most egregious domestic violence offenses from community confinement programs, we take a stand against domestic violence and affirm our commitment to survivor safety. 

    I urge you to support LD 1684 and take this important step toward enhancing protections for survivors of domestic violence in Maine. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

Jan Collins, Assistant Director of Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition (MPAC)

Senator Beebe-Center, Representative Hasenfus and distinguished members of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee: 

My name is Jan Collins, I am Assistant Director of Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition (MPAC) an organization committed to ethical, positive, and humane changes in Maine's prison system. 

  • I am here in opposition to LD 1684 An Act to Exclude from Eligibility for a Community Confinement Monitoring Program a Person Serving a Sentence for Certain Domestic Violence Crimes. 

    LD 1684 would be a step backward for several reasons. 

    I am a survivor of Domestic Abuse. The first situation was as a child. When my dad drank, he was extremely violent. His substance abuse and violence shaped my life and my families life. Even to this day I am uncomfortable in situations where people are drinking heavily.

    But despite my Dad’s abuse, there was never a time when I did not want my Dad in my life. I always wanted him to stop drinking and stop hitting and kicking my mom. But I did not want to lose my Dad. 

    Although, this bill is well intentioned. The approach is faulty.

     – By a margin of 2 to 1, victims prefer more investment in community supervision, such as probation and parole (and SCCP), to more investment in prisons and jails. 

    – By a 2 to 1 margin, victims prefer that the criminal justice system focus more on rehabilitating people who commit crimes than punishing them. 

    – 6 out of 10 victims prefer shorter prison sentences and more spending on prevention and rehabilitation to sentences that keep people in prison for as long as possible. 1 

    Supervised Community Confinement Programs give people an incentive for change and an incentive for participating in programming. Taking it away would make us all less safe. 

    Instead of lengthening sentences for people who are responsible for domestic violence, I would urge the committee to find a way to provide more programming, more opportunities for residents of jails to learn and practice socially appropriate behavior programs that would strengthen families and communities and make us all safer. 

     

    SCCP is a program that provides review. That review is stringent. As this committee has heard in testimony last week, less than 8 % of those who are eligible are approved. It also provides supervision, an important ingredient in what victim’s request. 

    A second step that would improve outcomes for residents of jails and prisons as well as their families, would be to expand restorative justice programs for survivors and the people who caused them harm. People who do harm should be held accountable both for the harm caused by their actions and for the repair. Participation in restorative justice programs not only help people who have been harmed with the healing process, they help people who have caused harm become more aware of the effects of their actions, and it dramatically decreases recidivism. 

    We believe that the basis of release should be the accomplishment of rehabilitation and redemption. It should not be based on the original charges. 

    Lets invest in programs that work and avoid those that may create more harm. 

    Thank-you, Jan 

Sarah Dodge, Finding Our Voices

My name is Sarah Dodge, 24 year domestic abuse survivor and I am writing today in memory of Virginia Cookson. I did not know Virginia personally, but she is all of us women who have suffered at the hands of someone who was supposed to love & protect us, only Virginia isn't here today to stand up for the rights of other women because she was murdered by her boyfriend Richard Thorpe who had been let out of prison early into the community confinement monitoring program.

  • Richard Thorpe never should have been let out of prison 3 years before his sentence was finished due to the severity of the crime that he was incarcerated for, nearly killing his ex wife Darcia Thorpe. I took a closer look into Virginia's case, and became aware that there was no confinement or monitoring of Richard Thorpe after he was set free, and it baffles me that his victim Darcia Thorpe was not notified that the man that brutally beat her and nearly killed her was not notified of his integration back into the community. Virginia Cookson was an innocent and unsuspecting victim of Richard. He won her over with his charming ways and pretty soon had made his way into her home, after a few months of dating, and fell victim to his abuse she tried to break it off and he wasn't having that. He threatened to kill her and her family even called in on him reporting his threats and STILL nothing was done. Richard returned and strangled her doing exactly what he said he was going to do. Where was Virginia's protection? I am outraged at the negligence! I am writing in strong favor of supporting LDI684 an act to exclude from eligibility for a community confinement program for a person serving time for domestic violence felonies. We need to do much better at protecting our women & children. Please don't let Virginia Cooksons life be forgotten. I am begging you as a domestic violence abuse survivor who was too scared to leave for fear of getting murdered please pass this bill.

    Respectfully, Sarah Dodge

Representative Vicki Doudera, House District 41

Good afternoon, Senator Beebe-Center, Representative Hasenfus, and honorable members of the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety. My name is Vicki Doudera and I represent House District 41, Camden and Rockport. I am here before you today to present LD 1684, An Act to Exclude from Eligibility for a Community Confinement Monitoring Program a Person Serving a Sentence for Certain Domestic Violence Crimes.

  • Two years ago, in the 131st Legislature, I came before this committee with LD 692, An Act Regarding Eligibility for a Community Confinement Monitoring Program in a Correctional Facility. That bill set limitations on when a sheriff may assign a county jail inmate serving a sentence for a crime against a family or household member to participate in a community confinement monitoring program. It required the jail administrator to determine that the inmate is not reasonably likely to pose a risk to the safety of others in the community. In making that determination, the jail administrator is required to, among other things, review and consider the results of an evidence-based risk assessment and the inmate's criminal history record. The bill also required a good faith attempt to notify the victim of the crime before and after assignment of the inmate to a community confinement monitoring program, because all too often that noti cation was not happening and domestic violence victims were caught unawares when their abusers were released. That bill garnered support from this committee and the Legislature and became law with Governor Mills signing that spring. I was asked to sponsor that bill by my constituent, Patrisha McLean, herself a domestic violence survivor and founder of Finding Our Voices. Patrisha convinced me that far too often community confinement was a get out of jail free card for abusers and that domestic violence victims were paying the price. 

    In September of 2024, Patrisha contacted me again. A young mom, Virginia Cookson, had been strangled to death in Bangor that week. Charged with the crime was a man who had been released from prison that February, three years early from a prison sentence for almost killing his ex-wife. His early release for good behavior was into the Supervised Community Confinement Program. This man met Virginia in April, and they started dating. On July 2, he was fully released from custody of the Maine Department of Corrections despite a lengthy criminal history (his record was 44 pages long) going back to May of 1999, including felony charges that prohibited him from possessing guns. The couple lived together for several months, but by fall the relationship was over. Just days before Cookson died, she told family that her ex-boyfriend showed up at her home and that he had recently threatened to kill her. Bangor police confirmed they had been called to both Cookson's home and workplace in the days before her death for incidents concerning her ex-boyfriend's behavior. Virginia or Gin as she was known was 39 years old, a hardworking Nokomis graduate who had put herself through beauty and nursing school and was raising a young daughter. She Was strangled in her home on Larkin Street in Bangor. What happened here? Unfortunately it is an all-too familiar story, because domestic abusers are the ultimate bullies who hurt the ones they supposedly love. Patrisha and I, this committee, this Legislature and the chief executive herself - we all thought we were solving a problem by putting guidelines and restrictions around the community con nement program. But the murder of Virginia Cookson and the traumatizing of countless others from abusers who are released back into the towns and neighborhoods and lives of their victims shows us that some people should not have the privilege of community confinement. Those who commit acts of domestic violence do not deserve this freedom and their victims do not deserve this terror. 

    LD 1684 seeks to right this wrong. The bill amends the provisions of law governing community confinement monitoring programs and supervised community confinement monitoring programs available to inmates of county jails and prisoners of the Department of Corrections. The bill provides that transfer to a community confinement monitoring program or supervised community confinement monitoring program is not available to an inmate or prisoner-who is serving a sentence for domestic violence aggravated assault, domestic violence elevated aggravated assault or domestic violence elevated aggravated assault on a pregnant person. The man who murdered Virginia Cookson terrorized and tried to kill his ex-wife and was supposed to be in prison until 2027. He was released in 2024 to terrorize another woman, and this time he succeeded in taking her life. It's time for us to admit that the community confinement monitoring programs in our jails and prisons are failing us. They are seriously flawed. As Patrisha McLean says, these programs do not confine and they do not monitor. Instead, they release dangerous criminals into the community with no thought about the safety of their victim and the general population. I ask this committee to take steps to pass LD 1684 for the sake of Virginia and countless others. Thank you. 

Janet Drew, York

Senator Beebe-Center, Representative Hasenfus and distinguished members of the Committee: My name is Janet Drew. I’m a retired RN, and I live in York, and I ask that you Please Oppose this bill. I'm disappointed by the number of proposed bills that would create longer sentences behind bars.

  • . Maine already orders much harsher penalties than other states. We don't need another layer of crime and sentences, carving out more crimes for special ostracism. It's punishment enough to have made an awful mistake and be involved with our broken US legal system. None of it helps victims or anyone else to Heal. In principle, and based on corrections research, financial outcomes, public health, and humanitarian reasons, I support legislation that lifts up individuals, families and our Maine communities. I hope these findings will influence you. Maine already orders much harsher penalties than other states, and our underfunded legal defense system harms too many of our most vulnerable Maine neighbors, their families and our communities, without the benefit of real help or healing for anyone. But the harms from incarceration exacerbate social woes, which makes our communities less safe. Please Oppose this bill.

Representative Holly Eaton, House district 15

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getTestimonyDoc.asp?id=10046783

Senator Beebe-Center, Representative Hasenfus, and esteemed members of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee: 

My name is Holly Eaton, and I proudly represent House District 15, which includes several island and coastal communities. 

  • Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony today in strong support of LD 1684. 

    Earlier this session, I sponsored LD 670 to address patterns of coercive control, because I believe Maine must continually work to strengthen protections for survivors of domestic violence. Our laws must meet the realities survivors face — both the visible and invisible forms of abuse — and ensure public safety is prioritized. 

    LD 1684 is a critical step toward closing a dangerous gap in our system. It is unacceptable that individuals convicted of the most serious domestic violence crimes — including Class A and B felonies — can currently access early release through the Community Confinement Monitoring Program. The tragic death of Virginia Cookson highlights the devastating consequences that can result when our policies fail to protect survivors. 

    Domestic abuse overwhelmingly impacts women, and the consequences extend far beyond physical harm. Releasing violent offenders early not only places survivors' physical safety at risk — it also jeopardizes their ability to heal, rebuild, and achieve sustainable mental and emotional health after enduring trauma. Survivors deserve the chance to move forward with security and dignity, without the fear that their abuser may reenter their lives prematurely through a system that was meant to safeguard the public.

    I respectfully urge the Committee to vote "ought to pass" on LD 1684. We owe it to the survivors, the families, and the communities impacted by domestic violence to ensure our laws reflect the seriousness and lifelong effects of these crimes. Thank you for your time and your commitment to the safety and well-being of Maine’s families.

Amber Jordan, Finding Our Voices 

My name is Amber Jordan. I 100% support bill LD 1684. Sept 23rd my best friend of 27 years posted on my facebook ; love you so much and wouldn't wanna live this life without you. Two days later she was murdered. She met Richard Keith Thorpe in April.

  • . I googled him to look up any information and besides small info here or there, there was nothing about his abusive deadly past anywhere. It didn't take him long to show her true colors. She did everything right. Broke up with him, left him like everyone begs abuse victims to do. My niece and I set up daily check ins. I didn't get one September 24th. I woke up September 25th and found out he had strangled her to death in the middle of the night. He took the time to block me on facebook. If this bill was set in place then, she would have never met him, she'd be still alive right now. She would be spending so much time with her daughter Karmyn, with her nephew Logan, seeing her niece Kylie graduate. We would be going on road trips, watching horror movies. We would be going out on our girls dates watching horror movies and working on our tattoo sleeves we started together, we would be going to different restaurants and having margaritas and cheese fries. He stole her away from us and we all suffer from her loss daily. Please make these people more accountable for their actions and make sure they fully pay for hurting other people. i will miss her for the rest of my life because he took her out of my life.

Berry Manter Portland, ME 

I, Berry Manter of Portland, Maine, am submitting written support for LD 1684, An Act to Exclude from Eligibility for a Community Confinement Monitoring Program a Person Serving a Sentence for Certain Domestic Violence Crimes. Those persons willing to violently maim, abuse, or murder their partners/spouses (male or female, people they should most love and respect), should not be regarded as fit to be released back into society without full due process.

  • . I googled him to look up any information and besides small info here or there, there was nothing about his abusive deadly past anywhere. It didn't take him long to show her true colors. She did everything right. Broke up with him, left him like everyone begs abuse victims to do. My niece and I set up daily check ins. I didn't get one September 24th. I woke up September 25th and found out he had strangled her to death in the middle of the night. He took the time to block me on facebook. If this bill was set in place then, she would have never met him, she'd be still alive right now. She would be spending so much time with her daughter Karmyn, with her nephew Logan, seeing her niece Kylie graduate. We would be going on road trips, watching horror movies. We would be going out on our girls dates watching horror movies and working on our tattoo sleeves we started together, we would be going to different restaurants and having margaritas and cheese fries. He stole her away from us and we all suffer from her loss daily. Please make these people more accountable for their actions and make sure they fully pay for hurting other people. i will miss her for the rest of my life because he took her out of my life.

Bethany McInnis, Oxford County

Good Day members of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. My name is Bethany McInnis, I am a Nurse Practitioner, I live in Oxford County, I also am a domestic violence survivor of nearly 3 decades before I was able to successfully leave my abuser.

  • I am here today in support of Finding our Voices and to testify in support of LD 1684 “ An act to exclude from eligibility from a community confinement program a person serving a sentence for certain domestic violence crimes.” I am in support of this bill as per the law a person is guilty of : “aggravated assault if that person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes”

    A. Bodily injury to another that creates a substantial risk of death or extended convalescence necessary for recovery of physical health. A-1. Bodily injury to another that causes serious, permanent disfigurement or loss or substantial impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ. Violation of this paragraph is a Class A crime; [PL 2015, c. 358, §1 (NEW).] 

    B. Bodily injury to another with use of a dangerous weapon. Violation of this paragraph is a Class B crime; or [PL 2015, c. 358, §1 (AMD).] 

    C. Bodily injury to another under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to, the number, location or nature of the injuries, the manner or method inflicted, the observable physical condition of the victim or the use of strangulation. For the purpose of this paragraph, "strangulation" means impeding the breathing or circulation of the blood of another person by intentionally, knowingly or recklessly applying pressure on the person's throat or neck. Violation of this paragraph is a Class B crime.

    There have been multiple cases over the last year in the news of people being beaten, strangled and killed. Let me bring a few to your attention. One that impacted my community and another a brave woman that I have met and can say she is the testimony that everyone should hear, as this is domestic violence, this is the story like that of “Gabby Petito” that everyone talks about and why all of you should support this bill. 

    1. Leein Hinkley 43, (June 2024), had been in custody on a probation violation related to his conviction in 2011 of domestic violence and elevated aggravated assault, as well as a recent domestic violence arrest. However, he was released by a district court judge after a court lowered his bail to $1,500 with conditions, including house arrest at a Lewiston residence. Less than 72 hours later, he tried to break into the home of his former girlfriend's home just before 1 a.m. on Saturday, and got into a fight with a man inside, resulting in a standoff with the police, setting a fire that destroyed the former girlfriend’s home and a neighboring house. The man inside he confronted died in the fire. He was previously sentenced in 2011 to 20 years in the double stabbing of his former girlfriend in front of their 14 month old child and a person who attempted to intervene. His domestic violence history stems back to 2001. Leein Hinkley was shot and killed during the standoff with the police on June 15, 2024. ( https://www.yahoo.com/news/maine-top-judge-defends-judges223400602.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall. https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/06/17/auburnmaine-gunfire-house-fire-lewiston

    This man was allowed early release, had he not been allowed out and had to serve his complete 20 years he would not have had the opportunity to terrorize his former girlfriend and a man would have not lost his life! 

    2. Irineu Goncalves, 35, of Revere, Massachusetts, to serve 18 years in prison initially convicted for 30 years all suspended but 18, six years of probation and will be required to follow several conditions when released, including no contact with Bernhardt and their two children. He will have to submit to drug testing, not to possess any dangerous weapons, and to attend a batterers intervention program. He brutally tried to kill her. Her statement at her hearing described how he tried to break her neck and hit her in the face, and even strangled her on the ground in the hotel parking lot until she lost consciousness. He also was charged for assaulting a police officer when they were trying to intervene and assist the victim. Assault occurred June 2023. Sentenced July 2024. https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/crime/irineu-goncalves-attemptedmurder-sentence-assault-police-officer-conviction/97-7220afa8-8dc1-4b28-ba04- 2c4774651a07. 

    If this Bill does not pass this dangerous man will be eligible for a community confinement program and place not only her and her children at risk but the community. 

    3. David Gaudreau, 60,.May 28th, 2024. “The Oxford County Sheriff's Office responded to the area of 106 Auburn Rd. in Peru — also known as Route 108 — around 7:10 p.m. Tuesday for reports of a crash. Callers told law enforcement a gun was fired from a truck into a car. Gaudreau had called several family members and told them he shot his wife; she was later identified as Dale Gaudreau, 59. This case is especially close to me as she was a colleague of mine and friend. We have worked together for 15 years of my 17 year career in healthcare. https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/crime/peru-maine-shooting-dale-davidgaudreau-oxford-county-murder/97-1130cbfb-e0a6-466a-9840-fae1b3078af8 

    This case has yet to go to trial, he has currently plead not guilty, she has been gone nearly a year and yet her poor children and grandchildren not only lost their mother and grandmother,they lost their father and grandfather that day. They have yet to see justice for their mother and have to endure a trial that has not been timely.

    4. Richard Thorpe, 42, of Bangor is charged with intentional or knowing or depraved indifference murder in the death of Virginia Cookson, 39, of Bangor on Sept. 25 

    Lastly, the case in which this bill was written. Richard was released 3 years early, he was given the right to be out and abuse again and kill Virginia. National Coalition of Domestic Violence statistics are astounding, revealing that 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. 

    I, like many other women, am a domestic violence survivor, we continue to be impacted by a severely broken system. Often feeling like faceless victims in the courts, a docket number, only to be offered to be heard when we get to speak our truth with our victim impact statement.

    Please, I beg of you hear our voices and side with victims, survivors the community and vote yes in support of LD1684 

    Warmest Regards, Bethany R McInnis 

Patrisha McLean of Camden. 

Thank you Sen. Beebe Center, Representative Hasenfus and esteemed committee members. I am Patrisha McLean, founder and CEO of Finding Our Voices, and I am speaking in favor of LD 1684. 

  • I contacted my representative Vicki Doudera about creating this bill in honor of Virginia Cookson of Bangor, when I learned last fall that she was killed and the ex-boyfriend charged with strangling her to death had been out on the streets to be able to do this, due to an early release from prison on a community confinement monitoring program. 

    This was a preventable death. If this bill had been law last January, Virginia Cookson would be alive to celebrate her 40th birthday, and her 18 year old daughter Karmyn would still have her mother. 

    Richard Thorpe was sentenced in January 2021 to almost five years in prison for crimes that included a Class B felony domestic violence. He should still be serving that sentence right now But in February 2024 he was released on the Supervised Community Confinement Program . This program, allows a person to sen/e part of their sentence outside of prison but within strict parameters. The person is still considered to be in custody of the department of corrections. Yet, in April of last year, while Richard Thorpe was considered to be in custody in this program, he started dating Virginia. 

    If he had been truly confined which means inside the prison and which is the only correct definition for the word confined , this violent and chronic domestic abuser would not have been able to meet Virginia and woo her. 

    Thorpe's ex-wife Darcia was the victim of the crimes for which he was serving the prison sentence. She told me on my podcast that when she met him in prison, he was the sweetest man in the world and that upon his release, he split her head open twice, broke her ribs, and strangled her: Every time I tried to scream for my kids he squeezed harder so I could only gurgle. 

    He also threatened to kill her children and any police that showed up at their house. 

    She was told by the district attorney's office that if she testified at his trial he could get 25 years in prison. He ended up with less than five years, and the Supervised Community Confinement Program saved him from having to serve even that obscenely short amount of time. 

    Domestic abusers are the most dangerous criminals in our society. 

    Anyone paying attention to Maine news will see police standoffs and community stay in place orders sparked by domestics erupting over and over again in our neighborhoods, often close to elementary schools and usually including guns. 

    Half of the murders in Maine year after year for decades are domestic violence, and so far this year at least five women in Maine, a baby, and the state police dog Preacher are dead from domestic violence. 

    We need to. prioritize the women and child victims of domestic abuse, and the safety and wellbeing of police and the general public, over the rights and freedom of violent domestic abusers. 

    Domestic violence victims all across Maine are hiding out in their homes because they are terrified of their abuser who is out on bail or early release, and knows where they live. The victim is in prison and the perpetrator is free. What makes this even worse, is when the violent and dangerous domestic abusers are free on the streets they are likely in the dating game, so continuing to lure in unsuspecting victims. 

    Class A and B felony domestic violence crimes include bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement or loss or substantial impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ; assault with the use of a dangerous and strangulation, and attempted murder. 

    True confinement and true supervision, and that means INSIDE prison and supervised by jail or prison guards, for sentences that are already too low, is the only way that women and children and the general public can be safe from violent domestic abusers. That is what LD1684 is all about. Thank you for voting YES for this bill and taking this important step to prioritize the safety of women and children, police, police dogs, and the general public, over the rights and freedom of the most dangerous members of our society.

Matthew D. Morgan, President Elect Maine Association of Criminal Defence Lawyers (MACDL) 

Dear Senator Beebe-Center, Representative Hasenfus, and Members of the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety: MACDL opposes LD 1684. LD 1684 seeks to exclude anyone convicted of Domestic Violence Aggravated Assault, Domestic Violence Elevated Aggravated Assault, and Domestic Violence Elevated Aggravated Assault on a Pregnant Person from participating in supervised community confinement programs.

  • Supervised community confinement programs are administered by county sheriffs and governed by the rules found at 30-A M.R.S. §1659-A. These rules already include significant restrictions on the release of persons convicted of domestic violence crimes. In particular, county sheriffs are required to determine that someone convicted of domestic violence crimes will not pose a risk to the safety of others in the community by reviewing the person’s criminal history, available ODARA results and similar “risk assessments,” and by contacting the victim and inquiring about any concerns she/he may have about release on community confinement. These special requirements are on top of the other requirements, including moderate or minimum validated security classifications. 

    It is also critical to bear in mind that participation in these county-run programs means that the individual received a sentence of 9 months or fewer. 

    In short, if anyone with a conviction identified in LD 1684 is eligible for community confinement, then he or she is not a risk to the community and barring him or her from participating in the community confinement program serves no meaningful criminal justice purpose but instead frustrates and delays rehabilitation and community reintegration. 

    For all these reasons MACDL opposes LD 1684. Sincerely, /s/ Matthew D. Morgan Matthew D. Morgan, Esq. MACDL President Elect

Deborah Reynolds, Clerk Finding Our Voices

My husband, my abuser. If he would have been held accountable for what he did 20 yr ago, Iwith all my being, believe me and others, would not have had to go through all of this abuse. the officers arrest him, court rooms let him go.

  • I was put in the hospital, over a week due to his hands. he is charged with Domestic Violence agg Assault; kidnaping; domestic assault ; Obstructing report of a crime or injury; domestic violence terrorizing. On one arrest, August 2024. with no bail, within 2/3 weeks got it to 10,000 cash, another 2 weeks, down to 1,000 and out he went.. to do more and more harm to me and others in his path. if he is Not stopped, he Will kill me my life is worth living for. and Please do not think or say a piece of paper will keep him away, he has proven it does not effect him @ all. Yet we have to live in turmoil and on the run from him, he keeps living his best life, how is that fair. He kept me away from everyone, except his family. so i have to where to go to Be Safe. Not to mention all the nightmares, ptsd, etc. Please help us to say, No MORE............

     

Bonnie Williams

I am submitting written testimony in support of bill LD 1684. Virginia Cookson was murdered on September 25th by Richard Keith Thorpe, who had been released early from prison where he was serving time for domestic violence assault against his ex-wife. This information about his release was not public knowledge nor was his ex-wife informed that he was free. 

  • Virginia was like a daughter to me as she and my daughter were best friends for 27 years. She spent much of her high school years at my house and attended our family functions. She was family, even if not by blood. 

    As with anyone that Virginia dated (or myself or my daughter), a web search was done on Richard Keith Thorpe and nothing about him serving time for domestic violence was found, nor was his release. Had that information been discovered, Virginia never would have dated him, and she would be alive today. 

    Also, he had been released to Supervised Community Confinement Program until July 2 yet lived with Virginia in May at the latest. He lived as a free man although he was not officially released from the Dept. of Corrections until July 2nd. How was this possible? Why was this allowed? 

    How many people must be murdered before a domestic violence offender must serve his complete sentence? Any person convicted of felony A & B domestic violence should not be allowed early release. Richard certainly wasn’t supervised or confined as the program, Supervised Community Confinement, implies. He posed a threat to society and was released early. He almost murdered his ex-wife and yet was allowed early release? This should never have been allowed. 

Holly Williams, Levant, ME

My name is Holly Williams, I live in Levant, Maine and am testifying in favor of LD 1684 (An Act to Exclude from Eligibility for a Community Confinement Monitoring Program a Person Serving a Sentence for Certain Domestic Violence Crimes). 

  • Our family friend, Virginia Cookson, age 39, mother of a teenage daughter, was murdered on September 25th, 2024 by her ex-boyfriend, Richard Keith Thorpe. Thorpe had previously been sentenced to 5 years in prison for domestic violence aggravated assault and began that sentence in January of 2021. He had been released into the “Supervised Community Confinement Program” on February 13th of 2024. He started dating Virginia shortly after release into the “supervised” program until July 2–yet moved in with Virginia in May. He was virtually a free man…who then murdered Virginia a few months later. 

     

    People convicted of Felony A & B domestic violence charges should NOT be granted the privilege of early release from jail or prison. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 76% of women and 56% of men are murdered by someone they know. Typically in both intimate and familial relationships, when the perpetrators are released from jail or prison, they know where to find their victim. These are not just random drive-by shootings, these are personal and intentional murders. 

     It’s well-known that the legal and justice system is understaffed, so any kind of “supervised community confinement program” is a lie. Supervision is the act of overseeing someone, to guide them or correct them when they’re wrong. Thorpe had severely limited Virginia’s contact with the outside world before she broke up with him. Was he being supervised then? 

     Please support LD 1684 and let’s prevent the murder of at least one person. Let’s not allow one more child to have to bury their parent due to domestic violence.

     

Read more about Virginia Cookson

Read about our October 2024 march in Bangor