A woman told deputies her ex-boyfriend threatened to cut off her head and kill her daughter, but when officers went to confront the man, they discovered there was video of at least part of the explosive encounter — and it didn’t appear to match all of her allegations.
Lawrence County deputies investigated the dispute after the woman arranged to meet law enforcement at Tractor Supply. She said she and her former boyfriend, James Newton, separated in May after previously living together.
The woman said she had gone to Newton’s home to drop off his medication and retrieve her truck when things turned ugly.
According to her statement, Newton threatened to kill her by cutting her head off and made the same threat against her daughter. She also alleged that Newton approached her with a raised fist as though he intended to hit her.
She told deputies she wanted to pursue charges and provided a sworn statement and affidavit.
Deputies then headed to Newton’s residence to hear his side.
Newton painted a very different picture.
He said his ex showed up yelling and screaming and accused her of shutting off utilities at his home because she knew the passwords to his accounts. He denied threatening or attempting to strike her.
Newton also claimed she threatened to bash her own head against a vehicle and then tell police he assaulted her. He said she’d made allegations against him during a previous incident in West Virginia as well.
But this wasn’t simply his word against hers.
Newton told deputies his son had recorded the confrontation from inside the house and showed officers the video.
According to the deputy, the recording showed both parties yelling during a heated argument. However, during the portion the deputy reviewed, he did not see Newton approach the woman with a raised fist or otherwise appear to attempt to strike her as she had alleged.
The deputy also said the woman appeared to initiate or continue much of the verbal confrontation captured on the recording.
Then there was another twist.
Newton accused his ex of threatening to burn his home. The deputy said the recording did capture the woman making a statement about burning something, but the words weren’t clear enough to determine exactly what she meant.
With two dramatically different stories and video that did not corroborate at least part of the woman’s account, deputies determined they did not have sufficient probable cause to make an arrest.
While deputies were there, the woman retrieved her truck without further trouble.
Newton asked deputies to trespass her from his property, and she was informed that she was no longer permitted to return.
The entire mess was forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office for review and consideration of possible charges.
