Father Pleads Innocent to Abuse Charges
by Jay Lindsay, Associated Press writer
Originally published by The Associated Press, July 27, 2001
SALEM — A man accused of raping and sexually assaulting two of his daughters while keeping his wife and six children in isolation for years pleaded innocent yesterday to multiple counts of assault and child abuse.
Family members weren't present when Patrick McMullen, 37, was arraigned in Salem Superior Court on Thursday on 15 charges. He was ordered held on $115,000 cash bail.
He faces four charges of rape and abuse of a child under 16; seven charges of indecent assault and battery, including five involving a child under 14; assault with attempt to commit rape; assault and battery; dissemination of materials harmful to children; and possession of an electric stun gun.
Essex County prosecutor Kathe Tuttman declined to answer questions about what the stun gun was for, or any other facts about the case.
"It's a case involving the extensive long-term victimization of two young girls," Tuttman said.
"Obviously, this has been a situation that has been devastating to all family members," Tuttman said, adding victim testimony would likely be a crucial part of a trial. She said she doesn't expect additional charges to be filed in the case.
Judge Howard Whitehead forbid McMullen to have contact with his alleged victims if he makes bail. McMullen, shackled and dressed in a collarless blue shirt and black jeans, remained silent during the arraignment. His attorney, Lawrence McGuire, offered no comment after.
McMullen, his wife, and six children lived for years in Salisbury in a junkyard compound hidden behind an eight-foot fence, rarely seen by neighbors and unknown to local officials. His children, ages 8 through 17, had no school records, birth certificates or medical records.
Police said they discovered a shocking case of physical and sexual abuse May 8, when McMullen's wife, Christine, walked into the police station and asked for a restraining order against her husband.
In her application for a protective order, Christine McMullen said her husband "physically hurt us repeatedly, with painful blows to the head, abdomen and chest, causing bruises, abrasions and headaches."
She accused him of using a variety of weapons, including "a two-by-four, a rock, a large flashlight."
She told authorities she only recently became aware of the sexual abuse of the children. McMullen was charged with raping one daughter, now 17, over a period of at least six years. He was later charged with sexually assaulting another daughter when she was between 12 and 13, Tuttman said.
McMullen's children—three boys and three girls—were not allowed to venture past the brown wooden fence surrounding the junkyard and at times were kept locked inside the home for months, police said.
After McMullen's arrest, state police in Maine said they were re-examining the death of McMullen's infant son, who was found dead nine years ago in Thorndike, Maine.
The death of 2-month-old Elijah on April 15, 1992, was investigated, but the case was closed four months later and no charges were filed.
Court papers filed yesterday also showed that McMullen fathered a child out of wedlock while in Maine.
