FARMINGTON — The Somerset County District Attorney’s Office has declined to prosecute Ryan Morgan, chairman of the Farmington Board of Selectmen, on a misdemeanor domestic violence assault charge because of a lack of evidence.

No complaint was filed with the court, according to court representatives.

Franklin County Detective Ken Charles arrested Morgan, 40, in November after the agency received a referral from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. The case was transferred to Somerset County to avoid a conflict of interest.

Morgan was scheduled to be arraigned on the charge Tuesday morning.

“The state would have to prove that the defendant’s actions were a gross deviation from the norm, but the state cannot prove that he even touched her,” Somerset County District Attorney Maeghan Maloney said. 

In general, for the state to prove a domestic violence case against a defendant when the victim is the person’s child, the state has to prove the discipline is a gross deviation from the norm, she said. 

There was no evidence to back up the charge, she said.

Morgan’s attorney, Walter “Woody” Hanstein said Tuesday morning that no criminal charge will be filed against Morgan, based on a review of the facts by longtime Somerset County First Assistant District Attorney Brent Davis.

After looking at the full investigation presented to Davis, including statements from multiple witnesses, photographs and the statement of a medical doctor, Davis decided that prosecution should be declined due to a lack of evidence, Hanstein said.

“Mr. Morgan cooperated fully in this investigation from its inception, and he is obviously gratified and relieved by this decision,” Hanstein said. “He voluntarily spoke with the investigating officer and he later met and was completely cooperative with the DHHS worker who was also looking into this matter. He and his wife made their child available for interviews and examinations and photographs so that a complete and full investigation of the allegation could take place.”

Hanstein said Morgan is especially relieved that he is now free to go home to his family in time for Thanksgiving.

“Because he has volunteered so much of his time in his Farmington community, he is more of a public figure than many others, and this notoriety has unfortunately made this whole ordeal even more difficult for him,” Hanstein said.

“Throughout the past two weeks he has been particularly thankful for the love and support he has been shown by his family and friends, and he is also grateful that so many others in the community have kept open minds while this investigation was taking place.”

dperry@sunjournal.com

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