Ex-alderman Russell P. Ouellette of Manchester New Hampshire accused of Stalking Woman at AA meeting - July 27. 2012

Alderman Russell P. Ouellette resigned his position after being arrested for assaulting a woman he met at Raxx Billiards 1211 Elm St, Manchester, NH, 03101 on July 12. As part of his bail he was forbidden to be within 100 yards of his alleged victim. Unfortunately Ouellette went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at St. Andrews Episcopal Church on 102 North Main Street, Manchester, NH and the alleged victim arrived late after he arrived. After a brief glance between the two, the woman quickly left the meeting and called the police and had him arrested.

Ex-alderman pleads innocent to stalking

By DALE VINCENT
July 27. 2012 8:24PM
New Hampshire Union Leader

MANCHESTER — Former alderman Russell P. Ouellette, who resigned after his arrest on charges of assaulting a woman he met at Raxx Billiards on July 12, was in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division on Friday, accused of violating his bail conditions and stalking the woman Thursday night.

The 45-year-old Ouellette, who was held overnight on the bail violation, appeared with his attorney, James Rosenberg, who said Ouellette would waive reading of the stalking charge and plead innocent.

The stalking charge alleges Ouellette, whose bail conditions barred contact with the 53-year-old woman or being within 100 yards of her, knowingly violated those conditions by being in the same room with the woman at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting Thursday night, and looking directly at her and smiling broadly.

The woman told police she became so uncomfortable that she left the meeting and the building, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, on Main Street.

Rosenberg said Ouellette did not know the woman was present, or he would have immediately left the AA meeting. “He went to an AA meeting. He arrived first,” said Rosenberg.

Ouellette told police he doesn't know the woman who made the accusations and wouldn't recognize her.

The woman told police she arrived late at the meeting and sat in the back, not seeing Ouellette. After about 10 minutes, she said, there was a break in the meeting and she saw Ouellette stand up and look directly at her, grinning “ear to ear.”

She said she could not believe he remained in the room, knowing she was there, and became so uncomfortable that she left and walked north on Main Street until she saw Officer Joseph Ryan's cruiser in the Catholic Medical Center parking lot and told him about the encounter.

When the officer went to the meeting location, he saw Ouellette's truck and was able to locate Ouellette, who insisted he didn't know what the woman looks like, but had he known she was there, he would have left.

When questioned by police after the woman made the initial complaints about Ouellette, Ouellette denied the accusations and gave police several different versions of how he met the woman. He admitted taking her to Wendy's on South Willow Street for a hamburger, but insisted he doesn't know her.

Police said surveillance video shows the two talking at Raxx Billiards on Elm Street just before 1:15 a.m. July 12, shortly before he is accused of assaulting her in his truck after offering to take her to Wendy's.

In addition, police said, the bartender saw them talking for some time and leaving together after Ouellette paid the woman's bar tab.

Police said the woman called 911 at 2:14 a.m., saying “it's not a good situation” in Ouellette's truck. Police made a traffic stop at Maple and Valley streets, where the woman fled the truck and made the accusations against Ouellette.

After an investigation that included an interview with Ouellette, who denied assaulting the woman but admitted taking her to Wendy's, an arrest warrant was issued on charges of sexual assault, simple assault and false imprisonment.

Ouellette surrendered Monday and was released on $10,000 cash/surety bail, scheduled for arraignment Thursday morning. But Rosenberg filed a motion Wednesday waiving arraignment, and arraignment and trial were scheduled for Oct. 31.

After entering the innocent plea Friday morning to the stalking charge, Rosenberg told Judge Gregory Michael that Ouellette and he were ready to go forward with the bail revocation hearing.

But Assistant County Attorney Maureen O'Neil requested the hearing be delayed until Monday and Ouellette be held without bail until then, saying she was missing a witness, the officer the woman spoke with after leaving the AA meeting.

Rosenberg said delaying the hearing, and holding Ouellette in custody over the weekend, was “a foul blow.”

The judge, saying he was striking a balance, said: “I'm prepared to have the defendant released on $2,000 cash/surety bail.” Michael said the bail revocation hearing would be at 1:15 p.m. Monday.

A special election will be held for the Ward 11 seat Ouellette vacated.

The filing period for the election will begin on Monday and will be open for two weeks, until Aug. 10.

The aldermen already voted to authorize a special election on whether to form a charter commission, and the names of the Ward 11 candidates will be added to those ballots.

If more than two candidates file to run, a primary will be held Sept. 11, coinciding with the state election, to narrow the field to two candidates for the general election in November.

dvincent@unionleader.com

Source: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120728/NEWS/707289970/1010/news06

St. Andrews Episcopal Church
http://www.standrewsmanchester.com/

New Hampshire Area Assembly of Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.nhaa.net/