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Maine AG argues state police can’t be sued in police brutality case – The Boston Globe

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Maine AG argues state police can’t be sued in police brutality case – The Boston Globe


“The Supreme Court has held that a State is not a ‘person’. … Likewise, a state agency that is an arm of the state also is not a ‘person,’” Frey wrote in a motion filed with the US District Court in Portland, Maine.

In a similar vein, Frey argued state agencies are not liable for violations of the Maine Civil Rights Act because they are not individual people. He also argued the Maine Tort Claims Act provides “sovereign immunity” to the state and its agencies from civil suits, except in narrow circumstances.

The lawsuit was filed by Justin Savage, who suffered a broken nose during a March 2024 arrest in Limerick, Maine. The York County district attorney’s office eventually dropped all charges against Savage stemming from the incident, including assault on an officer.

In September, Savage and his girlfriend, Shawna Morse, sued the state, the Maine State Police, its top official, Colonel William Ross, and three individual officers involved in the arrest for assault, violation of civil rights, wrongful arrest, malicious prosecution, defamation, and destroying evidence, among other claims.

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After the arrest, the Maine State Police cleared its officers of any wrongdoing, including then-trooper Jamie Fenderson, who was captured on dash cam footage repeatedly punching Savage in the face while his hands were handcuffed behind his back. A joint Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News investigation of the video footage and police records from the incident determined the Maine State Police misrepresented the events of the night in both police reports and public statements.

The Maine State Police did not initially investigate the incident as potential “serious misconduct,” tasking Fenderson’s commander with the investigation instead of the Office of Professional Standards. Only after a series of public records requests related to the incident prompted fear of litigation did State Police leaders ask the Office of Professional Standards to review the incident.

While the review was still ongoing, the agency promoted Fenderson — his first promotion in 16 years.

In addition, the Monitor/BDN investigation found that the Maine State Police had investigated nearly three dozen complaints alleging excessive force by its troopers over the past decade and cleared its troopers of wrongdoing in every case.

Frey asked the court to dismiss Savage and Morse’s claim that State Police disposed of evidence, including a spit mask used on Savage and the gloves Fenderson was wearing during the arrest. The attorney general argued that “spoliation of evidence” claims can only be addressed during criminal proceedings, not civil lawsuits.

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The filing also argued the lawsuit’s defamation claim should be dismissed against the state and the Maine State Police because Savage and Morse did not allege that Maine State Police social media posts had an “adverse effect” on their legal status, such as being fired or demoted from their jobs.

Frey’s filing did not address the facts alleged in Savage and Morse’s lawsuit and did not seek to dismiss the bulk of the claims made against Ross or the individual officers involved in the arrest.

The attorney general’s office is also representing Ross and the three officers, according to court records.

In an amended complaint filed in late October, Savage and Morse alleged that Fenderson punched Savage in the face between 11 and 13 times while Savage was “fully restrained.”

Earlier this month, during an appearance before the Legislature’s criminal justice committee, Michael Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety that oversees the State Police, said he would not answer any questions related to the Savage case, citing the lawsuit.

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Shortly after filing the lawsuit, Savage and Morse’s attorney, Jeffrey Bennett, called on York County District Attorney Kathryn Slattery to open a grand jury investigation into the actions of the officers who arrested Savage. Slattery did not respond to requests for comment, and no charges have been filed.





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Maine

Maine lawmakers should prioritize childcare

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Maine lawmakers should prioritize childcare



To the Editor;

Access to affordable child care plays a direct role in whether Maine families can work, pursue education, and maintain stability. The Child Care Affordability Program helps keep child care costs within reach for working families.

To the Editor;

Access to affordable child care plays a direct role in whether Maine families can work, pursue education, and maintain stability. The Child Care Affordability Program helps keep child care costs within reach for working families.

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At Penquis, we serve 270 children from 266 families across dozens of communities through our child development programs, including Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care. We see firsthand how access to child care determines whether parents can work, pursue education and build long-term stability for their families, particularly in communities facing workforce shortages and rising cost of living. 

Child care availability alone is not enough. We can have programs and facilities in place, but if care is not affordable, it remains out of reach for families who are already struggling.

Without it, the cost of child care places an unsustainable burden on Maine families, consuming as much as 29% to 39% of income for single-parent households and 10% to 13% for two-parent families. CCAP is one of the few tools that effectively addresses this challenge by ensuring child care costs are affordable, capping costs at 7% of income for those with the lowest incomes, and expanding access for many more families.

Investing in CCAP supports children’s healthy development, enables parents to participate in the workforce, and strengthens Maine’s economy. We urge state leaders to prioritize this $15 million investment in the supplemental budget and ensure that affordable child care is accessible to the families who need it most.

Kara Hay
president and chief executive officer

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Wife dead, husband in serious condition after fire at Maine home

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Wife dead, husband in serious condition after fire at Maine home


A woman is dead, and her husband is in serious condition after a fire broke out at their home in Readfield, Maine, Friday night.

The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office tells NBC10 Boston affiliate News Center Maine that the Readfield Fire Department responded to the house on Plains Road around 9:51 p.m. and found a large fire.

Jerrold Wentworth, 74, had escaped from a second-floor window and told crews that his wife was still on the second floor of the home, officials said, but firefighters were unable to go inside to rescue 75-year-old Carolyn Wentworth due to the fiery conditions.

A photo shared by the fire marshal’s office shows the fire destroyed the home.

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Carolyn Wentworth’s body was found in the debris around 1:45 a.m. Saturday, near where she had been sleeping, fire officials tell News Center Maine. An autopsy will be conducted to determine her cause of death.

Jerrold Wentworth was taken to Maine General Medical Center where he’s in serious condition, officials added.

Investigators from the state fire marshal’s office responded to the scene and are working to determine the cause of the deadly fire.

An investigation remains ongoing.

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Woman presumed dead in Readfield house fire; husband hospitalized

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Woman presumed dead in Readfield house fire; husband hospitalized


Firefighters were unable to enter due to heavy fire conditions

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Maine Department of Public Safety

woman presumed dead in readfield house fire; husband hospitalized

SOURCE: Maine Department of Public Safety

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Woman presumed dead in Readfield house fire; husband hospitalized

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Firefighters were unable to enter due to heavy fire conditions

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Updated: 8:48 PM EDT Apr 4, 2026

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A woman is believed to have died in a house fire Friday night in Readfield, officials said.Firefighters responded to a home on Plains Road at about 9:51 p.m. and found the structure heavily involved in fire. Neighbors helped 74-year-old Jerrold Wentworth escape from a second-floor window. He told crews his wife, 75-year-old Carolyn Wentworth, remained inside.Firefighters were unable to enter due to heavy fire conditions.Investigators with the state Fire Marshal’s Office later located a deceased person in the debris early Saturday in the area where Carolyn Wentworth had been sleeping. The body was taken to the state medical examiner’s office for identification and cause of death.Jerrold Wentworth was hospitalized in serious condition. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A woman is believed to have died in a house fire Friday night in Readfield, officials said.

Firefighters responded to a home on Plains Road at about 9:51 p.m. and found the structure heavily involved in fire. Neighbors helped 74-year-old Jerrold Wentworth escape from a second-floor window. He told crews his wife, 75-year-old Carolyn Wentworth, remained inside.

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Firefighters were unable to enter due to heavy fire conditions.

Investigators with the state Fire Marshal’s Office later located a deceased person in the debris early Saturday in the area where Carolyn Wentworth had been sleeping. The body was taken to the state medical examiner’s office for identification and cause of death.

Jerrold Wentworth was hospitalized in serious condition. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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