Woodbury Man Free of Charges in Case Involving Ex-Girlfriend

This article was updated with new information on May 22, 2014:

Charges against a Woodbury man accused of false imprisonment and domestic assault in a dispute with an ex-girlfriend were dismissed on April 22, 2013.

George Scott Bowes was convicted of a single misdemeanor charge, violation of a no-contact order, for which he received 30 days of electronically monitored home detention with credit for time served. Bowes also was sentenced to one year of supervised probation, the term of which expired on April 22, 2014, according to Washington County court records.

Bowes said the no-contact order violation is a result of him placing a telephone call to his accuser in response to a text message from the woman, but she did not answer his call. 

The incident between Bowes and the woman took place in December 2011 at his apartment. Bowes originally was charged with false imprisonment-intentional restraint, a felony, and domestic assault, a misdemeanor. A judge dismissed both charges.

The original article as published in June 2012:

A 49-year-old Woodbury man accused of false imprisonment and domestic assault is headed to trial Aug. 27 after legal maneuvering by county prosecutors postponed his original date.

George Scott Bowes' trial was scheduled to begin June 11 until Assistant Washington County Attorney Kari Lindstrom filed a motion in limine—a legal device designed to instruct potential jurors in certain matters or suppress specific information from them. 

One condition forbids Bowes' defense team from asking prospective jurors the following questions:

• Do you think it is possible for anyone in our society to be arrested and charged for a crime for which the defendant is innocent?
• Have you ever been blamed in your life for something you did not do? 

Another condition prohibits defense attorneys from inquiring about the psychiatric or psychological medical history and/or chemical dependency history of the alleged victim in front of potential jurors.

Another condition provides a list of defense witnesses that cannot be called; and another prohibits the defense from introducing the following exhibits: 

• Receipt from Ray J's dated Dec. 3, 2011
• Pills found at Bowes' home from the alleged victim's purse
• Email and gchat exchanges between Bowes and his accuser

A Woodbury man was arrested on Dec. 6 and accused of trapping his Inver Grove Heights girlfriend in his apartment for several hours, assaulting her physically and threatening her sexually. 

According to a Washington County criminal complaint filed on Dec. 6: 

George Scott Bowes, 38, refused to let his then girlfriend leave his Cherry Lane home on Dec. 3 when she ended the relationship after discovering Bowes' infidelity. 

The complaint states the woman made "four or five separate attempts" to leave Bowes' home, but he got angry, pulled off her coat and boots and pushed her against the wall.  Bowes also took away the woman's keys, according to his accuser. 

According to her statement to Woodbury police, Bowes dragged her up the stairs of the home by her arms and when they reached the top, pulled up her shirt and said they would have sex one last time.

The woman told police Bowes did not sexually assault her. 

The woman told police she was able to free herself from Bowes and leave the home at about 11 p.m. Bowes allegedly drove after her, at one point getting out of his vehicle while they were stopped at a red light.  

The woman returned to her Inver Grove Heights apartment and spent the night there. The following morning, the complaint states, the woman checked herself into a hospital and complained of pain, soreness and blood in her urine.

Bowes was charged with felony false imprisonment and misdemeanor domestic assault. He is scheduled to appear in Washington County Court on Dec. 29.

If convicted of the charges against him, Bowes faces a maximum sentence of three years and three months in prison and a $6,000 fine.