Shannon Goodwin charged for alleged role in assault by Gilley’s. Courts hear civil cases.

NEWINGTON — The third Goodwin family member allegedly involved in a November 2023 assault outside of Gilley’s Diner in downtown Portsmouth has turned herself in to police.

Shannon Goodwin, 39, of Dundalk, Maryland, was booked by Newington police on three simple assault charges, all Class A misdemeanors, and a disorderly conduct violation on Saturday, according to New Hampshire State Police. Goodwin will be arraigned in Portsmouth District Court on March 24.

The defendant was the last of three Goodwins to surrender to state police charges. Goodwin is the wife of Kevin Goodwin and sister-in-law of Aaron Goodwin, who were also charged in connection to the Nov. 22, 2023 assault of Black local bank executive Mamadou Dembele.

Both Aaron and Kevin Goodwin have since pleaded guilty to separate charges tied to the incident. Aaron Goodwin, a former Portsmouth police sergeant, pleaded guilty to a single simple assault charge as part of a negotiated deal with prosecutors in October, while Kevin Goodwin pleaded guilty to a single charge of disorderly conduct last August.

Judge’s decision on Civil Rights Act allegations awaited

The three Goodwins additionally face allegations from the state attorney general of violating New Hampshire’s Civil Rights Act.

Last week, prior to Shannon Goodwin turning herself in, a hearing on a petition for injunction was held in Rockingham County Superior Court in Brentwood.

Officers from the Portsmouth Police Department were called to testify about their response to the November 2023 incident. Judge Andrew Schulman has taken the matter under advisement.

Kyle Griffin, a Portsmouth attorney, is representing Kevin and Shannon Goodwin in the proceedings for the alleged Civil Rights Act violations.

“The civil rights complaints were levied against Kevin and Shannon Goodwin almost one year after this incident took place and alleged to be against an unidentified African American male, who physically inserted himself in the incident outside of Gilley’s,” he said in a statement to Seacoastonline. “In our opinion the very minor contact made between Kevin and Shannon Goodwin and this unidentified person was justifiable based on the circumstances. The Attorney General was unable to produce this unidentified person as a witness during the final hearing nor has this person ever wanted to be part of this investigation. This incident was never about race or racially motivated (behavior) for any of the Goodwins. Judge Schulman has taken the matter under advisement and will issue an order at a later date.”

Federal lawsuit against Goodwins pending, too

In New Hampshire federal court, the Goodwins also face a five-count civil lawsuit filed by Dembele’s attorneys last fall. Dembele accuses the three Goodwins of sole counts of negligence, battery, assault, false imprisonment and for infliction of emotional distress.

The federal complaint seeks a jury trial and “attorney’s fees and costs, enhanced damages, and injunctive relief,” according to the text of the lawsuit. Lawyers for the Goodwins have all filed separate motions for the federal lawsuit to be dismissed.

Dembele originally filed a three-count civil federal lawsuit against Aaron Goodwin, though it was amended one month later to include Kevin and Shannon Goodwin as defendants.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Shannon Goodwin charged for alleged role in assault outside Gilley’s