Fall River Herald News November 3, 1997

FATHERS' RIGHTS ACTIVIST ARRESTED
Supporters Call It Matter Of Revenge

Fall River- One of the most outspoken advocates for reform of  domestic
abuse "no contact' orders was arrested recently and his fellow members of the Fatherhood Coalition are crying foul.

Raymond Saulnier, 40, of 526 Third St. was charged by police with violating a restraining order.

Mark Charalambous, a coalition founder, believes it is more than
coincidence that Saulnier's arrest came after his letter to the  editor
appeared in the Herald News, responding to a woman who believed there was no abuse of the no-contact orders.

"We're involved in an effort for 209a reform because restraining orders are being abused," Charalambous said.

After an Associated Press story, quoting people claiming there was no abuse of 209As, appeared in the Herald News, Saulnier responded with his letter.

"Ray responded to that, then the allegations came up and he was arrested and jailed," Charalombous said. "But he has an iron-clad alibi because he was at a public hearing (at the time of the allegation) and has witnesses of being there."

Saulnier is a founder of the Bristol County chapter of the coalition.

Charalambous said Saulnier's ex-wife alleged that Saulnier came in contact with their 11 year old daughter, which if true, would be in violation of the order in effect against Saulnier which prohibits him from any contact with his ex-wife and three children.

Saulnier said his lawyer advised him not to comment on the matter while his case is pending in court.

"My comments to the Herald News could be construed to be in violation of
the restraining order," he said, mentioning the way the law is written.

"But I'll have plenty to say once this is all over with," he added,
referring to his court case.

His case is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Dec. 11 in 2nd District
Court.

In Bristol County, Ray is a classic example of restraining order abuse,"
Charalambous alleged. "His ex-wife said that his daughter saw him,"  he
added. "This is child abuse. She's using the children in this  horrible
vindictive thing."

"she's free to strike at any time," he continued.

Furthermore, Charalambous said, the judge at Saulnier's arraignment warned him that "if there is another claim of a violation between now and December, he's going to jail for 60 days."

Charalambous said of Saulnier, "He's walking on eggs. He's trying to avoid them."
"These things are being used a weapons," Charalambous said of restraining orders. "The law has no safeguards."

He indicated that a woman merely has to claim she is "in fear" of a man and he can be subject to arrest.

"How can you disprove that someone was in fear?" he asked. "That's a state of mind. This law is unconstitutional."

He said, "The whole violation aspect (of the law) doesn't mention if the
violation has to be accidental" or what kind of distances are involved to justify contact.

"It could be in a shopping mall 100 yards away. That's a violation," he
said.

As part of the Fatherhood Coalition's reform effort at the State House, it wants to add the word "intentional" to the no-contact law.

Another coalition member, John Maguire, said of 209As, "these are patently phony; the two times when (Saulnier was in alleged violation), he was actually among groups of people. In one case, he was at the Fall  River meeting of the local chapter of the Fatherhood Coalition."

Maguire said there is no burden of proof on his ex-wife.
This episode is another example of why so many men and women in this state think 209A needs to be reformed," Maguire stated.

He claimed that the officer that arrested Saulnier said that the "local
battered women's shelter" had been ringing repeatedly on the phone to check on whether Saulnier had been picked up yet." Maguire said that seems odd because Saulnier's ex-wife does not live at the shelter.

"What is the shelter doing in this case at all? Maguire asked. "Why is the shelter interested in having one of its public critics arrested? It looks a bit like the use of 209A for reprisal."

Our Sisters' Place is the only battered women's shelter in Fall River. A
spokeswoman for the shelter flatly denied Maguire's allegations.
"Officially, we knew nothing of his (Saulnier's) arrest or any case going on involving him. Therefore, we could not have made any phone calls to the police station," said Lisa Abrams, development coordinator for the shelter.