Salem Police Officer Sean Whitaker Charged With Assaulting Mother-in-Law

Arraignment Following Domestic Dispute

A Salem police officer currently going through a divorce was arraigned Monday on a felony charge of assaulting his mother-in-law inside the family home during an argument over laundry, according to legal filings.

Sean Guntram Whitaker, 47, pleaded not guilty in Salem District Court to a single felony count of assault and battery on a disabled person or someone over 60, court records show. The case stems from a late Monday morning police response to Whitaker’s home following a reported domestic dispute, records show.

Conflicting Accounts From the Scene

According to a police report, Whitaker stated he placed his laundry in the dryer before hearing his mother-in-law remove the items. He told officers he went downstairs to confront the 73-year-old woman, telling her “no” while attempting to retrieve the clothing from her grasp. Whitaker claimed the woman, who is originally from eastern Europe, began punching him in the stomach. He reported sustaining no injuries.

The mother-in-law offered a different account to responding officers through a translator. She wore an ice pack on her arm and stated that Whitaker grew angry when she moved his clothes out of the dryer to make room for his children’s garments. She told police Whitaker shoved her, causing her to fall backward and strike her elbow and wrist. She denied striking her son-in-law.

While Whitaker maintained he took the clothes but never touched the woman, officers observed an apparent bump on her upper forearm. She subsequently sought treatment at a local hospital. The officer’s soon-to-be ex-wife arrived during the incident and was briefed by authorities. Three children live in the residence alongside the couple and the mother-in-law, court documents note.

State Oversight and Conditions of Release

Following the criminal charge, the state’s police oversight board suspended Whitaker’s law enforcement certification on Wednesday. Massachusetts police officers need an active state certification to work.

During Monday’s arraignment, Whitaker was released on personal recognizance. Conditions of his release mandate that he stay away from his mother-in-law, surrender all firearms, and relinquish his license to carry. His court-appointed arraignment lawyer indicated that Whitaker intends to retain private legal counsel, though the attorney’s identity remains unconfirmed.