Salley sentenced to 14-years in prison

By Ben Austin
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — One of the most serious domestic violence cases in Aroostook County in recent memory has come to an end, with the sentencing of Horace Salley, III on Thursday, August 21.
    Salley, 36 of Smyrna was found guilty by a jury of his peers at Aroostook County Superior Court in Caribou on August 6. The defendant was convicted of gross sexual assault, a Class A felony; assault, a Class D felony; and tampering with a victim, a Class B felony.
    Following the trial, Salley was brought to the Aroostook County Jail, in Houlton, where he awaited his sentencing.
    On the concluding day of the domestic violence case, the prosecution, headed by Patrick Gordon gave its opinion on the situation, which came about in November of 2006, when Salley violently raped his wife. Following this incident, the defendant assaulted the victim by grabbing her throat and holding her to the floor while he threatened her life. Later, while Salley was in prison awaiting trial, he used special code words in phone conversations with relatives to set up monetary reward if his wife would alter her testimony.
    Gordon also brought up the Domestic Abuse Intervention Wheel, which is used commonly in domestic violence cases. The state pointed out that Salley had met each spoke of the domestic violence wheel, which includes using male privilege, using isolation, and emotional abuse, along with other aspects of power and control, against his spouse.
    "As is often the case in a misogynistic relationship, the defendant controlled the victim both subtly and overtly. The threat of violence or death was always present in the relationship … The events of the case show the final result of an escalating pattern of domestic abuse and control,” explained Gordon in a written statement.
    The state recommended sentences of 25 years, a concurrent sentence of 364 days and a $300 fine, and a consecutive six-year sentence, for each of the separate charges Salley was found guilty of.   
    Following the state's testimony, the defendant's lawyer, Steven Smith, took the floor, pleading the case for his client. Smith explained that the defendant's case was not quite as severe as the state made it appear, and that the prosecution’s previous statements did not match up with the testimony during the trial.
    Smith recommended that the defendant serve six years in prison, with six years’ of probation in connection with the gross sexual assault.
    Following his lawyer's argument, Salley requested that the sentencing be postponed, because he felt his lawyer had not fulfilled his duty, and had, according to Salley, violated his rights.
    Justice E. Allen Hunter denied the request to postpone the sentencing, and quickly began weighing out each side of the case in a three-step process. After much consideration, Justice Hunter handed out three sentences of 10 years in prison, with 15 years of probation, 364 days and $300 fine, and a three year  sentence. All sentences were set to be consecutive, totaling just under 14 years in prison, followed by 15 years’ of probation.
    “I wanted Mr. Salley to serve all of the time up front … The judge and I obviously disagreed about whether there is any chance of rehabilitating Mr. Salley. I don’t think there is. I think that is appropriate, I just disagree,” explained Gordon yesterday.
     According to one staff member from the Distric Attorney’s office this case is one of most severe cases in this area in the last twenty years.
    Salley is also facing federal charges for possesion of a firearm by a prohibitted person. According to Gordon, the sentencing range for that offense ranges from five to seven years.