State Representative Erin Herbig has received a protection from abuse order against her colleague and former boyfriend Rep. Alexander Cornell du Houx, who graduated from Bowdoin in 2008 and represents Brunswick.
According to The Bangor Daily News, Herbig's court statement alleged that du Houx stalked her, secretly photographed her while she slept, and threatened to commit suicide after the couple broke up early this year.
Herbig also stated in the court documents that du Houx, who served in Fallujah, Iraq, a U.S. Marine, threatened to "use his military training tactics" if she would not stop complaining about his behavior, reported the The Bangor Daily News.
Judge Patricia Worth granted the order in Belfast District Court on April 30. The order forbids du Houx from contacting his ex-girlfriend, and requires him to surrender any firearms he owns, according to The Bangor Daily News.
"We lived together for almost a year and were engaged to be married and I have the highest respect for Erin. The statement is completely false. This is a personal matter between Erin and myself over an engagement that sadly did not work. This is just the messy breakup of a loving couple," du Houx told the Orient by phone, repeating almost verbatim a statement he sent via email to The Bangor Daily News.
When pressed for further comment, du Houx declined.
"Unfortunately, because of how it works with legal proceedings, anything I say can be used against me, so I'll have to respect the wishes of my lawyer," he said.
Editors' Note: An earlier version of this article stated that Cornell du Houx graduated in 2006. In fact, he graduated in 2008, after postponing his coursework to serve as a U.S. Marine in Iraq. The Orient regrets the error.