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8/7/08
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Maine lawyer charged with domestic violence PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The chief executive officer of Maine's Iris Network faces criminal charges after flying into a rage over his daughter' s $5,000 cell phone bill.
James Phipps, 50, grabbed his 20-year-old daughter and repeatedly spanked her in a dispute over the cell phone bill and her boyfriend, the Cumberland County Sheriff' s Department said. There is some dispute over who is responsible for the bill, investigators said.
The Iris Network is a nonprofit organization that helps people who are visually impaired or blind become independent. Phipps, a Portland lawyer, is blind.
Members of the Iris Network' s board say it' s too early to say whether the incident would affect his job there, the Portland Press Herald reported.
Katherine Ray, chairwoman of the board' s personnel committee, said she was reserving comment until the board chairman, Dr. David Stuchiner, has a chance to speak with Phipps about the incident. He has been out of town and was unavailable for comment.
"I don' t see how it impacts the Iris Network until we find out the whole story," said Nancy Hawes. "We' re not planning to do anything right now."
Phipps did not return a telephone call, and his daughter could not be reached.
Investigators say Phipps spanked his daughter repeatedly with his hand as a dispute escalated in his home on Chebeague Island. The daughter then went upstairs to call her boyfriend and another scuffle broke out that involved the daughter taking her father' s cell phone, authorities say.
Phipps was a Cumberland town councilor when Chebeague was part of that town. After the island gained its independence, Phipps was elected to serve on the new town' s transition team.
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Recent comments
ignorance and ignorants live strong in MAINE. Cause we don't live in the same trailer park we're different.
TRASH!
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what the heck, how did the guy even catch her, let alone position her good enough for a spanking? I assume she didn't expect it but if he was raving mad she could have stayed away from him.
If she got a $5000 bill, her boyfriend also got a $5000 cell bill.
Give that man a "Hand"
SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE ADULT DAUGHTER ABUSED HER DAD...KICK HER TO THE CURB!!!! LET HER AND HER BOYFRIEND PAY THE BILL.
he probably should have spanked her ten years ago and he would not be having these problems now. there is a difference between disapline and child abuse. shut the phone off.
no sympathy for the daughter....give that man a pat on the back....I wonder if her boyfriend lives in lagrange...
is she missing a few brain cells....this guy must be a prize...
Should a situation like this even be charged as a Domestic Assault? Or this example of the law as it is now written being over used.
5 G phone bill........ too bad he didnt SEE it coming
I can't believe that anyone is even thinking of charging this man with domestic abuse. This is the reason children (including this daughter who is still an irresponsible child at the age of 20) feel they have the right to abuse their parents financially and emotionally. Protection from domestic abuse is a vitally important issue but, like so many great ideas, has been extended far beyond reasonable boundaries. This man had every right to discipline his daughter and I see no mention that anything other than her pride was hurt in the altercation.
Any 20-year-old who is dumb enough to rack up a $5K cell phone bill deserves a good whack on the backside. I am concerned the attorney (the real victim here) was not able to see his cell phone contract and was, therefore, not able to read the fine print - and also choose the unlimited minutes option. Three of our kids have cell phones and we chose unlimited minutes and text messages...because we know better. But, I am not blind and I can read the contract and cell company options just fine.
i'd do more then spank her-bet she is not living at home anymore,this girl needs to put her big girl pantie's on and grow up.take her to court and make her pay the bill
This could possibly be the most embarrasing thing that could happen to a 20 year old girl living at home. Give her the bill, if not willing to pay, take away the nipple and she could be on her own. The bill will eventually pay itself off. 20 years old a little old to get "spanked" HA HA !!! LOL!!!!
Sounds Kinky!
Pretty easy she would be getting a new cell phone on her own and a new place to live. Leave the Dad alone.
I agree Mainefriend...This is beyond embarassing. The daughter thought she was getting back at her Dad by telling the authorities - Mission accomplished, she's managed to smear, decimate, annhilate his public image and inturn inform the world of her immaturity. Nice job.
Kinda fun though to see a stuffed shirt get a taste of their own medicine!
Bet she never gets another penny from dad. And the spanking was long over due. He did not beat her...he spanked her. She acted like a child and he treated her like a child....better late than never.
Dad....the magic word is "no". You know those child psycholigists who said don't say "no" to your kids? They were wrong......many swallowed the lie. Hook line and sinker. Now society is paying for it and many parents are paying the bills.
Strange story. Dad's a LAWYER, so he should be aware of the laws against any type of physical altercations. Daughter is TWENTY and still living
home and having daddy pay her bills????? Good grief, talk about SPOILED!! I'm sure this isn't the first time daddy has had to deal with her selfishness
and immaturity and I'm betting daddy created this mess by giving in to her every little whim.