Woman accused of attacking mayor speaks

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - A Longmeadow woman accused of attacking Agawam Mayor Susan Dawson in April is breaking her silence.

Celeste Benoit is scheduled to be in court on Thursday to determine if she will face criminal charges.

The alleged attack happened at Max’s tavern, a Springfield restaurant, on April 8.

Mayor Dawson claimed Benoit attacked her outside the women's bathroom – pulling her hair, throwing her to the ground and kicking her twice.

Now Benoit is telling her side of the story; she released a statement through her attorney on Tuesday.

In the statement, Benoit said she witnessed her husband passionately kissing Dawson a year earlier.

Mayor Dawson claimed that she began dating real estate developer Mark Benoit only after he and his wife split up. But Celeste Benoit disputes that, saying the couple separated only after she confronted her husband about the romantic encounter with Dawson.

Dawson's lawyer would not confirm or deny the March 2008 incident, but said that his client was still the victim of an "unprovoked attack."