On December 30 we published an affidavit sworn by Montgomery County Schools superintendent Joshua Powell’s wife, Anna.
The affidavit, sworn out on September 5, 2013, has been the focus of feverish conversation among the new school board and throughout the community in Mt. Sterling.
Something is really standing out. Here are sections eight through ten of the Powell affidavit:
8. Among other disruptive and aggressive behaviors that I am ashamed of I left my husband and four children on December 28, 2012 at approximately 3:00 A.M. My husband had requested some time away (a weekend with his best friend) and I became enraged. I went to a nearby hotel and waited. Then, I discovered that Josh had learned that I had charged over $43,000 to his credit cards without his knowledge. I knew he would understandably be angry about this. I believed that the charges, coupled with the fact that I had abandoned our family, and, in the state I was in, my sister-in-law was able to convince me that I was going to need ‘leverage’ to gain custody of the children in the divorce I was anticipating.
My sister-in-law convinced me to meet with law enforcement in Bowling Green (Warren County) Kentucky, where she worked for the County Attorney’s office. She explained that in Warren County an Emergency Protective Order could be dropped after it was served. She accompanied me to the meeting with law enforcement, and we rehearsed what I would say. The officer was initially very reluctant and stated that my husband had done nothing illegal. So, I added considerable information consisting of completely untrue allegations regarding my husband.
9. -SNIP- When I presented the Emergency Protective Order (“EPO”) documents to the Montgomery County Sheriff, Fred Shortridge, he suspected something was not quite right. He called Josh, explained the situation and then allowed us to talk privately.
10. I quickly realized that Josh did not want a divorce and felt that I had lost my mind. I did not want the EPO served, and Josh was therefore not given a copy of what I had said.
Keep all that fresh in your mind because we have to flash back to November 17 — when we published more than a dozen 911 calls made by Anna Powell and her relatives. Along with some calls between law enforcement in both Bowling Green and Mt. Sterling.
Those calls reveal, despite Anna Powell’s sworn statement, that she had tried to find shelter for herself and her children.
They also reveal that Montgomery County Sheriff Fred Shortridge was well aware of the EPO long before Anna showed up to talk. The EPO was faxed from Bowling Green to Mt. Sterling. She didn’t deliver it to the sheriff. In fact, Powell herself called to confirm it had been received — not once but twice.
Law enforcement don’t hand EPOs to the victim and have them deliver them to other agencies. What kind of nonsense is that?
The timeline? 3:00 A.M.? Something doesn’t add up. Because it takes at least three hours to get to Bowling Green.
That trip to Florida, where the affidavit was sworn, is also fascinating. Particularly the timing. That occurred during the time the Powells took their kids on a ten-day vacation, missing quite a bit of school. When they returned, of course, the claimed the trip was for “Educational Enhancement” and filed forms to prevent the kids from being considered absent. If you don’t recall, read all about it here and here.
And the bit about how the EPO went public? It wasn’t because of the former superintendent and a disgruntled contractor. Folks at the courthouse in Bowling Green say they were flooded with requests for the EPO during that time frame from dozens of people. And a reporter from the Advocate drove from Mt. Sterling to obtain a copy.
There’s just too much to dig into. Way too much.
