Don McLean’s wife granted restraining order
Don McLean says his domestic violence arrest this week stemmed from “the very painful breakdown” of his long marriage and asked fans not to judge him.
McLean, 70, the singer-songwriter behind tender 1970s hit songs ‘American Pie’ and ‘Vincent’, was arrested on Monday at his home in Camden, Maine, where he lives with his photographer wife Patrisha.
Authorities did not give details of the incident but the Portland Press Herald newspaper on Thursday reported that his wife has since obtained a restraining order against her husband, citing long-term anger issues.
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According to the newspaper, Ms McLean’s statement detailed how her husband had “terrorised [her] for four hours until the 911 call that [she] thinks might have saved [her] life”.
Ms McLean also detailed how in the past McLean had held her limbs so tightly they bruised, and held her in a “vice like” grip.
In his first comments, McLean said in a statement on his official website that the past year had been “hard emotional times for my wife, my children and me.
“What is occurring is the very painful breakdown of an almost 30-year relationship. Our hearts are broken and we must carry on.
“There are no winners or losers but I am not a villain … I ask God to give us the strength to find new happiness and I hope people will realise that this will all be resolved, but I hope I will not be judged in this frantic media environment.”
McLean also told his Twitter fans: “I may never recover from this but I will try and hope to continue to entertain you all as I always have”.
McLean is due to appear in court in February on the misdemeanour domestic violence charge.
‘American Pie’, his 1971 ode to personal and cultural upheaval, was named a song of the century by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.
McLean’s original working manuscript was auctioned for AUD$1.74 million last year.