Repuke Legislator/Wife-Beater Says: "I Pushed Her Down Because Was Afraid Of Her"

[DeSwiss]

Jury splits Rep. Olson verdict

By Jim Adams, Star Tribune
July 13, 2007 – 4:37 PM

ELK RIVER -- State Rep. Mark Olson was acquitted of the more serious charge, but convicted on the lesser charge, Friday in his domestic assault trial. The six-member jury found Olson not guilty of causing or intending to cause bodily harm. The jurors found him guilty, however, of causing or intending to cause fear of bodily harm. Both charges are misdemeanors. Serving his eighth term, Olson was suspended from the Republican caucus after his arrest last fall. There have been no attempts to remove him from the Legislature, but House Republican leadership has suggested he resign if convicted.

Olson, asked about his political future, said he has no intention of resigning, "even if asked me to." As for his wife, Heidi, who has filed for divorce, he said he wants to keep the marriage together. Olson's wife released a statement through her family following the verdict: "I would like to say publicly that I forgive Mark for what he has done to my family and me. He does need to be held accountable for his actions, though. "The false allegations that he has made against me is devastating to us, but we are choosing not to live in bitterness towards him. I hope that Mark gets the help he needs for his personal problems."

Mark Olson testified in his trial Thursday in Sherburne County District Court that he was distraught and afraid of his wife the day she pushed him and they fell to the ground behind their Big Lake home. The Nov. 12 incident came after frequent arguments about parenting her five children during their three years of marriage, Olson testified. Their fights included Heidi Olson hitting him several times, stabbing his favorite dresser and cutting his picture off their wedding album cover with what he thought was a knife, Olson said.

The legislator said they both were exhausted on Nov. 12 after his just-ended reelection campaign and had been at odds for several days. Heidi Olson testified Wednesday that her husband pushed her down three times and threatened "to finish the job" before he left. Heidi Olson, 50, who is larger than her husband, admitted hitting him once during their marriage and said he assaulted her several times, including bruising her by throwing two Bibles at her.

http://www.startribune.com/587/story/1301675.html

*** - I hate to be harsh in my assessment of Mrs. Olsen. Especially since she's the victim in all this. And I'm not believing that "I was afraid of her" defense bullshit for one minute. (Although it appears that there were six idiots in Minnesota who did. Maybe she should have worn black more to the trial. It's more slimming. And apparently its okay to hit your wife in Minnesota as long as you do it with bibles.) But if I had the chance, I have to ask her: what do you expect when you marry a Republican?

Maybe she should run against him next election as a Dem???

[shraby]

1. More of the "family values" antics? Must be okay to

throw stuff at someone as long as it's a bible.