SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — A Springfield woman has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison after violating a restraining order and attacking a man with a meat cleaver, the Lane County District Attorney’s Office announced this week.
Michelle Julia Lawson, 46, was convicted in connection with a violent assault that occurred on June 10, 2024. According to the DA’s office, Lawson went to the home of a person who had a restraining order against her. There, she approached the protected person’s boyfriend in a parking lot and swung a meat cleaver at him, inflicting deep cuts to his forearm and side.
Following the assault, Lawson fled the scene as the victim retreated indoors to tend to his wounds. Later that morning, police located Lawson at a local coffee shop. Officers boxed in her vehicle and attempted to arrest her, but she refused to comply. A tense standoff ensued for more than 20 minutes before she was finally taken into custody.
Lawson’s attack came just hours after an earlier incident at the same apartment complex. Around 4 a.m. that day, she was reportedly seen peering into windows. When confronted by a bystander, she allegedly jabbed the man in the shoulder with a concealed knife, authorities said.
The previous day, on June 9, police had also responded to a call alleging Lawson had violated the restraining order by visiting the protected person’s residence and making threats. Officers were unable to locate her at that time.
At the time of the June 10 assault, Lawson was already on probation following a March 2024 sentencing in three separate cases involving robbery, recklessly endangering another person, and assault. By June, she had violated her probation terms by failing to attend court-ordered mental health treatment and failing to check in with her probation officer. A warrant had been issued for her arrest.
On April 19, 2025, Lawson pleaded guilty to charges of violating a restraining order and second-degree assault. Additional charges, including a second count of assault and unlawful use of a weapon, proceeded to trial. She was found guilty by a jury and sentenced on April 22 to seven years and eight months in prison.
The sentence reflects the severity of Lawson’s actions and her repeated violations of court orders, prosecutors said.
