John Michael Farren, who served as deputy counsel to President George W. Bush, has been charged with strangulation and attempted murder after allegedly choking his wife and beating her with a flashlight.

Police said Farren attacked his wife at their New Canaan home Wednesday night. According to police, she passed out during the attack but regained consciousness and fled with their children to the house of a neighbor, who called 911. There, police found her bleeding from her head, face and body.

She is reportedly at Norwalk Hospital in stable condition with a broken jaw, a broken nose and other injuries.

John Farren's lawyer said it's "a tragic situation."

His wife's lawyer, Andrew Bowman, told the court his client is "terrified" of Farren, according to the Advocate.

The Wall Street Journal identified his wife as Mary Margaret Farren, a lawyer with Skadden in Washington, D.C., who represents energy companies before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Farren is being held on a $2 million bond after being arraigned in Norwalk Superior Court today. He appeared in court in handcuffs, with bandages on his face and neck.

He is due back in court Jan. 21.

He was placed on suicide watch, according to the Stamford Advocate. Sources told the paper he may have tried to kill himself after the alleged attack. According to the Associated Press, the alleged attack happened two days after Farren's wife served him with divorce papers.

The judge ordered Farren not to have contact with his wife or their two young children and to surrender his passport.

Farren was appointed as deputy counsel under Fred Fielding in June 2007. Before that, he served as general counsel to the Xerox Corporation. According to his White House personnel announcement, he had also worked in the Commerce Department and was the deputy director of President George H.W. Bush's transition team.

Source: TPM

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