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Country Singer Rodney Atkins in Nasty Divorce

He's been charged with domestic assault

By the Associated Press

Posted Dec 15, 2011 6:18 PM CST

(AP) – Rodney Atkins has filed for divorce, and his attorney denied today that the country singer assaulted his wife last month. Atkins was arrested Nov. 21 and charged with domestic assault. His wife, Tammy Jo Atkins, told police that after a night of heavy drinking he assaulted her and tried to suffocate her with a pillow. Attorney Rose Palermo called the allegations of violence "completely untrue" in a statement and said the argument did not become physical.

Palermo writes of "an unfortunate verbal dispute" that was within hearing range of the couple's young son. When Atkins realized this, "his first priority became getting out of the earshot of the child, and that is when Mrs. Atkins called the police and gave them her version of the argument, which is completely untrue." The platinum-selling singer, known for No. 1 hits including "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)," "Take a Back Road," and "Watching You," decided to file for divorce as a result of the false statement to police, the statement says. Both allege inappropriate marital conduct in divorce filings.

In this Nov. 8, 2011, file photo, Rodney Atkins, right, and his wife, Tammy Jo, arrive at the 59th Annual BMI Country Awards in Nashville.
In this Nov. 8, 2011, file photo, Rodney Atkins, right, and his wife, Tammy Jo, arrive at the 59th Annual BMI Country Awards in Nashville.   (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
Rodney Atkins performs onstage at the American Giving Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Dec. 9 in Los Angeles.
Rodney Atkins performs onstage at the American Giving Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Dec. 9 in Los Angeles.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
finkster
Dec 15, 2011 10:53 PM CST
"If You're Going Through Hell....Take a Back Road....Because he'll be Watching You!!!"
HappyHabenero
Dec 15, 2011 8:42 PM CST
who?
Rammrodd
Dec 15, 2011 6:32 PM CST
Never heard of him. Country singer? Does he bang on a washtub with a tire-tool & pick the gee-tar with his teeth?

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

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