Ex-Wife Of Former White House Lawyer Gets $28.6 Million After He Allegedly Almost Beat Her To Death
The verdict came in Mary Margaret Farren's lawsuit against her ex-husband, a White House lawyer for President George W. Bush and general counsel for Xerox Corp. Farren was liable for assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress, Stamford Superior Court jurors found Tuesday.
"We don't believe this is time for a celebration, but it is one more step toward justice taking place for Mary Margaret," attorney Paul Slager told The Advocate of Stamford.
Slager told the jury that Farren was "a shell of her former self" because of the attack.
"You've heard testimony that J. Michael Farren was a powerful man," Slager said during his closing argument. "No matter your race, your ethnicity, your gender, whether you're rich or poor, we're all treated the same in the eyes of the law in this courtroom. And if you keep that in mind while you deliberate, Mary Margaret will find justice here."
John Michael Farren, 60, represented himself in the civil case, but did not appear during the trial to defend himself or cross-examine his wife's witnesses. As the trial was starting, Farren sent an email to the court saying he had entered a Hartford-area hospital but giving no reason for his hospitalization, the newspaper reported.
Farren is also representing himself at a trial on criminal charges of attempted murder and assault in connection with the alleged 2010 attack in New Canaan. He has pleaded not guilty.
A phone listing for Farren said the mailbox was full. Messages were left at possible cellphone numbers for him.
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Information from: The Advocate, http://www.stamfordadvocate.com
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