Lebanon DV, resisting arrest case that went viral appears headed to jury trial

Dennis Prescott (Alfred Jail photo)

ALFRED, Maine - Charges against a man involved in a South Lebanon domestic violence and resisting arrest case that went viral when one of the suspect's acquaintances shot a cellphone video of his violent arrest could end up going to trial in the spring, The Lebanon Voice learned on Wednesday.

Much of the seven-minute, expletive-laced video shows suspect Dennis Prescott, 21, holding onto a car door handle as State Police Trooper Mike Lane attempts to wrest him away and handcuff him.

The incident took place at 85 Blaisdell Corner Road in South Lebanon where Prescott lives after police responded there to a domestic violence complaint the afternoon of Dec. 5, according to Maine Dept. of Safety spokesman Steve McCausland.

Image of video shows Trooper Mike Lane as he delivers a blow to Dennis Prescott who was charged with resisting arrest.

The video went viral with nearly a million views and more than 15,000 shares within a couple of days of its posting on the acquaintance's Facebook page, and the story was featured in Portland TV stations newscasts. The video has since been deleted from the acquaintance's Facebook Page but is still viewable on You Tube.

During the arrest Prescott becomes noncompliant with Lane, who in the video can be seen slapping Prescott in the head with an open fist and kneeing him in the back of his leg several times as Prescott clings to the car door handle.

While none of the blows appear to have much impact on Prescott who continues to resist being cuffed, the situation was very tense and very difficult for the trooper, McCausland said last month.

Prescott finally allows Lane to handcuff him after the trooper pulls out a container of Mace.

Prescott, who also lists a Hare Drive address in Milton as his home residence, was booked at the York County Jail where he paid $500 cash bail and was released later the day of his arrest.

McCausland refused to comment on whether head slaps and knees to the back of the leg are typical strategies with noncompliant suspects, but said that Lane, "showed great restraint in a very tense situation in which he was alone."

Media reports indicated that the address where the incident occurred is also the home of Prescott's mother, and that Prescott's girlfriend called from there after she and Prescott got into a fight.

Prescott also reportedly told Channel 13 he would have gotten into the trooper's cruiser without a problem, but the trooper refused to let him give his mother his wallet for bail money.

McCausland said an individual can use his own money for bail, so that shouldn't have been a concern.

Prescott also vows in the video he'll fight the charges in court.

Both the resisting arrest and the domestic violence complaint are misdemeanors, but all domestic violence complaints are heard at the York County Superior Court in Alfred. The DV charge could mean jail time for Prescott if convicted.

A dispositional conference, the last stop before moving to trial, is scheduled for April 13.

To view the video click here.