Officer accused of assaulting wife resigns

LEOMINSTER, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts police officer who was accused of assaulting and pointing a gun at his wife has resigned.

The Sentinel & Enterprise reports (https://bit.ly/2vVOwCl ) 32-year-old Leominster Patrolman Jason Labell has resigned. Labell was placed on administrative leave after he was charged with assault and battery on a family member and assault with a dangerous weapon on Sep. 7.

Mayor Dean Mazzarella confirmed on Tuesday he would have fired Labell if he hadn’t resigned.

Labell’s wife says in a police report she was punched in the face and her husband pointed a gun at her head.

Labell denies the allegations. Labell’s attorney, Steven Panagiotes, says his client resigned “to avoid the taint of termination” so he can work as a police officer when he’s cleared of the charges.

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Information from: Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, Mass.), https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com