Bernard Sigh, Former MA Gov's Brother-In-Law, Accused Of Assault

Bernard Sigh, the brother-in-law of former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, is being held without bail after being arraigned on two assault charges earlier this week, according to news reports.

Sigh, 65, a resident of Milton, was charged with assault to rape and assault and battery on a household/family member, WCVB first reported. According to court documents obtained by the news channel, the alleged assault occurred Dec. 9.

A spokesman for the Norfolk County District Attorney confirmed Sigh's arraignment to The Boston Globe. Sigh pleaded not guilty on Monday and is being held pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Thursday, the Globe reported.

The court documents obtained by WCVB say that a woman allegedly found Sigh in his underwear in a closet on Saturday. The documents say Sigh forced the woman back into the apartment when she tried to run and then allegedly gave her three options, all of which forced her into having sex with him. The woman was able to leave the apartment and was checked the next morning at a hospital, according to the documents.

Sigh alleged described the encounter to police as "intercourse" but admitted to grabbing the woman when she tried to run, the documents say.

The Boston Globe reported that Sigh pleaded guilty to spousal rape in California in 1993 for which he served jail time. That led to a lawsuit in 2014 when Saundra Edwards, a former chairwoman of the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board, sued Patrick governor for unfairly terminating her. Patrick reportedly said Edwards and other officials tried to improperly force his brother to register as a sex offender when a court had ruled he did not have to.

You can read the full WCVB story here.

You can read the full Boston Globe story here.

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