Kentucky state representative pleads not guilty to strangulation, other charges
Kentucky state Rep. Robert Goforth pleaded not guilty to three charges he faces after an alleged domestic violence incident on April 21, his lawyer, Conrad Cessna, said Monday.
Goforth was charged with strangulation, assault and terroristic threatening, according to court documents. The charges came after a female showed up at the 911 dispatch center in Laurel County and said Goforth had tried to “hog tie her,” strangled her with an ethernet cable, and threatened to kill her over a cellphone dispute, according to the arrest citation.
She also said three children were present in the home where the alleged assault happened, according to the citation. She told police that she fled the home after she promised to unlock her phone, according to the citation. Police were able to take Goforth into custody and retrieve the children safely, according to the citation.
Kentucky made strangulation a class C felony in June 2019, which means Goforth’s strangulation charge could carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Each of his domestic violence and terroristic threatening charges could result in up to a year in prison each.
Primary elections for the Kentucky House of Representatives are scheduled for June 23, but Goforth does not have a an opponent in the Republican race. He was called on to resign by the Kentucky Democratic Party after he was charged.
“State Representative Goforth must resign immediately,” Kentucky Democratic spokeswoman Marisa McNee said in a statement. “This is not the first time a victim of Mr. Goforth’s violent assaults has come forward. Republican Leadership has ignored this for far too long, it is time for them to take action. Goforth needs to go.”
Goforth was accused of sexual assault when he ran for governor in 2019. He denied those allegations.
Goforth will have a preliminary hearing on June 9 at 11 a.m., according to court documents.