Maine lawmaker accused of choking woman faces judge for 1st time

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 866-834-4357, TTY 1-800-437-1220. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.
The York County lawmaker accused of choking a woman faced a judge Wednesday for the first time.
Republican Rep. Lucas Lanigan, who is up for reelection for a House seat in Sanford, appeared at the York Judicial Center via Zoom from the York County Jail.
Lanigan turned himself in Monday morning after police had been searching for him over the weekend.
Court documents show Lanigan is charged with domestic violence assault.
That stems from an altercation last Friday, when police say Lanigan grabbed a woman by the neck and choked her for 20 seconds.
That woman was able to get away and call a friend for help.
Court documents show she had bruises on her neck.
On Wednesday in court, that same woman claimed that Lanigan was actually helping her and said she wants him to be freed.
“It’s a struggle, but it’s not, it was not an assault, your honor. It wasn’t an assault. Luke wasn’t trying to hurt me on purpose,” the victim said.
The woman claims she was in rehab but relapsed and says Lanigan was stopping her from harming herself.
“Luke wasn’t trying to hurt me, your honor, it’s the truth, it’s the God-honest truth,” the victim said.
Prosecutors claim this is common behavior for victims of domestic violence.
Lanigan’s lawyer, William Bly, claimed the woman’s injuries weren’t from his client but from the victim getting sick.
“Says she took medicine and then drank a significant amount of alcohol and that’s why she threw up,” Bly said.
Prosecutors asked for $10,000 bail, but the judge set it at $3,000, ordering Lanigan to have no contact with the victim, and restricted use of weapons and firearms.
Lanigan posted bail late Wednesday afternoon.
Lanigan’s next court date is set for March 5, 2025, via Zoom at the York Judicial Center.