By BJ Austin
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-959183.mp3
Dallas, TX – The Dallas Police Chief sent officers to the home after Caraway called the chief about an altercation with his wife -- State Representative Barbara Mallory Caraway. The then-Mayor-Pro-Tem told police he retreated to the "game room" as the argument escalated.
Caraway: So to separate myself from her, I stayed down in the game room, away from her, holding the door so she couldn't come to She's kicking the doors. She's doing every damn thing under the sun.
Caraway says, at one point, his wife had a knife.
Caraway: You know, a knife came into play. But not where it's right here with my eyes. But certainly, she's bringing that son-of-a-***** up and down the goddamn crack in the door. So, I'm fully aware of that. I don't think that Barbara has intentions of hurting me, but in the midst of a fit of rage, you never know what may happen.
Caraway said this explosive incident was not the first.
Caraway: I think Barbara has a chemical imbalance. I hate to say this. But I think that this is probably what it is. She sometimes she can get in a fit of rage. It's not about infidelity. It's not about me hitting her. She's the smartest person in the world. And when she gets set off everybody just get out of the way. She just went and took it too far tonight.
Police asked Caraway if he wanted to press charges.
Caraway: Oh never, no. I don't even want -- as I told Chief Brown I felt that it had got to a point where I needed to turn up to some kind of notch. Okay?
He later told officers:
Caraway: So no Chief, I don't need her in any kind of situation, (yeah, I understand) none at all. It ain't me. This s*** has been going on for quite a while now. That's why I'm able to know how. But it's never escalated to this point to where I've ever had to get to this level. And it was, this is for two or three reasons: one to protect her, but one to protect myself.
In court, Caraway said he did not know he was being recorded, and if he had, he would have kept some thoughts to himself, including comments about his marriage. Caraway says he says he tried to protect his family's privacy by going to court to challenge a State Attorney General's order to release the recording under the Public Information Act. State Representative Barbara Mallory Caraway - in Austin - declined to comment.
The following link contains language some may find offensive.
AUDIO: Full police interview
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