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HURON COUNTY ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR STEPHEN ALLEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE [07/20/2005]
Huron County prosecutor will face charges of domestic violence
Thursday, August 25, 2005
By Tom Gilchrist
The Bay City Times
http://www.mlive.com/news/bctimes/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1124982935103520.xml&coll=4
BAD AXE - Bay County Prosecutor Joseph K. Sheeran plans to charge Huron County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Stephen J. Allen with domestic violence for an alleged attack on Allen's wife on July 21.
Stephen Allen, 57, would face a maximum sentence of 93 days in jail if convicted of the crime. Sheeran claims Allen attacked 50-year-old Jamie R. Allen at the Allens' home near Port Hope, in Huron County.
Jamie Allen said her husband spit on her, stomped on her feet, grabbed the sides of her back "really hard" and kicked her Rottweiler dog in the dispute, according to a police report.
Stephen Allen denies harming his wife, spitting on her or kicking the dog, according to the same report.
The state Attorney General's office appointed Sheeran as a special prosecutor to decide whether Stephen Allen should face a criminal charge. Sheeran said his office filed a complaint against Allen in Huron County District Court on Friday, which starts the process of bringing Allen into court for arraignment on a criminal charge.
"We'll handle it and continue to handle it like it's a routine case," Sheeran said.
Workers at Huron County District Court, however, said no complaint had been filed with their court as of Wednesday afternoon.
Sheeran said Huron County District Judge Karl E. Kraus told him he would decline to serve as judge for Allen's case. Sheeran said he expects the State Court Administrative Office would appoint a visiting judge to handle the case.
Huron County Prosecutor Mark J. Gaertner suspended Allen as chief assistant prosecutor following Allen's arrest on the night of the incident. Stephen Allen had been served with divorce papers the week before the dispute with his 50-year-old wife, Gaertner said.
Jamie Allen - who works as a deputy for the Oakland County Sheriff's Department - told officers she and her husband had argued about who owned the household's two French bulldogs. Stephen Allen told police he was upset about a $2,800 dog-care bill.
Huron County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Gary Polega and Deputy Brandon Kadar took photographs of apparent injuries to Jamie Allen the night of the dispute at the Allen home in Huron Township.
Jamie Allen told police she just wanted her husband to leave for the night and she didn't want officers to arrest him. Gaertner said Jamie Allen doesn't wish to have criminal charges filed against her husband