New Hampshire Voter: “Obama Couldn’t Run A Lemonade Stand”

BERLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Mitt Romney is a part-time resident of this tiny state, and his fiscally conservative, socially moderate tenure as governor of neighboring Massachusetts once seemed a good match for New Hampshire’s independent and libertarian-leaning electorate.

Yet, Romney trails President Barack Obama in polls here, as he does in most other presidential battlegrounds, despite spending considerable time and money to lock up the state’s four Electoral College votes. Some New Hampshire voters say they are turned off by his shift to the right on issues like abortion, while others have absorbed the message from Obama campaign ads depicting Romney as a wealthy corporate titan who doesn’t understand the concerns of ordinary Americans.

“He’s just another rich, arrogant son of a gun,” said Norm Small, 61, a registered independent who runs a bowling alley in Berlin in northern New Hampshire. The town is home to many of the working-class white voters who have never embraced Obama, but interviews found many residents deeply skeptical of Romney’s fiscal policies and aura of privilege.

Small said he was offended by comments Romney made at a secretly videotaped Florida fundraiser suggesting that 47 percent of people see themselves as “victims” entitled to public assistance and unwilling to take responsibility for their own lives. The Obama campaign is running a tough new ad in New Hampshire drawing attention to those remarks.

“The people who are getting help probably really need it,” Small said. “Romney says 47 percent of people are living off the dole? He should realize that lot of them are struggling.”

Polls until recently had shown Romney giving strong chase to Obama in a state Obama carried by nearly 10 percentage points over Republican John McCain four years ago. But an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist Poll released last week showed Obama leading Romney by 7 percentage points — 51 to 44 percent — among likely voters.

The Romney campaign’s TV advertising has dipped somewhat in the state in recent weeks but has been buoyed by ads from the super PAC American Crossroads. Aides downplayed the advertising drop, noting the state does not have an early voting program, meaning voters can be wooed through Election Day, Nov. 6.

“We are committed, we are focused, and we have a ground game that is extraordinarily strong,” Romney senior New Hampshire adviser Jim Merrill said. “This state is absolutely in play.”

Romney has made the state part of his identity; he formally announced his 2012 presidential candidacy at a New Hampshire farm and has spent many weekends at his vacation compound on Lake Winnipesaukee.

New Hampshire has not always been the most hospitable place for Obama. In the 2008 Democratic primary, voters snubbed him for rival Hillary Rodman Clinton just days after Obama routed the former first lady in Iowa’s kickoff caucuses.

Berlin resident David Viger says Obama’s tax and regulatory policies have hurt and in some cases shut down local businesses. The 61-year-old auto repair shop owner says he is eager to vote for Romney.

“Romney is a successful businessman. Obama is not,” Viger said. “Obama has no clue on how to run a business. Obama couldn’t run a lemonade stand.”

New Hampshire is the smallest of the major battleground states. But both sides are acutely aware of its potential to alter the outcome if the national contest is tight.

They point to 2000, when Democrat Al Gore lost New Hampshire by just 7,000 votes to Republican George W. Bush. Had Gore prevailed in New Hampshire, he would have had the 270 votes needed to win the election and the famously disputed Florida vote would not have determined the race.

Romney still must convince voters here he’s still the pragmatic problem-solver they observed in Massachusetts.

“A fiscally conservative, socially libertarian message wins here,” New Hampshire Institute of Politics director Neil Levesque said. “The message is: ‘Stay away from me, stay away from my life, and, by the way, what’s going on with all the spending? … Washington is out of control.’”

Romney’s focus on jobs may not fully resonate in New Hampshire. The state’s unemployment rate of 5.7 percent in August is far lower than the 8.1 percent national average, blunting his effort to cast Obama as a poor steward of the economy.

Romney also faces a considerable gender gap — the NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll found Obama leading Romney among women by 20 percentage points, 57-37 percent.

Manice Moser, 33, said she would vote for Obama chiefly based on his record on women’s issues. The stay-at-home mother of three said her vote was driven more by antipathy to Romney than excitement about the president.

“The most important thing is women’s rights. I have two daughters and they should be able to control their choices,” Moser said.

Romney was pro-abortion rights as Massachusetts governor but since has shifted his position to opposing abortion in most cases, a position more in line with the social conservatives who make up a large portion of the national Republican Party base. He has vowed to end federal aid to Planned Parenthood, a leading provider of abortion and contraception services.

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Nutcase Hillsborough County New Hampshire Sheriff’s Candidate Frank Szabo Promises To Use Deadly Force To Stop Abortions And He’ll Arrest Anyone Involved

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE – A man running for sheriff in New Hampshire says if he is elected, he will arrest anyone involved in an abortion in his county.

Szabo is running as a Republican for Hillsborough County Sheriff. But he injected a new issue in the debate when he sent out a press release saying he would arrest anyone performing an abortion.

He took it a step further when asked how far he’d go to stop one.

“Deadly force is the last thing law enforcement should be using, if a citizen’s life is in danger they should be protected,” says Szabo. “If there is no other choice, that’s what’s needed to protect the citizen.”

Republicans called Szabo’s statement, “Irresponsible, outrageous, and inappropriate.”

Democrats said, “Every Republican officeholder and candidate in New Hampshire must condemn and reject this man and his beliefs.”

His opponent, current Hillsborough County Sheriff James Hardy says Szbao’s statement could incite violence.

“My opponent wants to substitute his opinions for enforcing the law,” says Sheriff Hardy.

And voters in downtown Manchester seemed surprised abortion was even an issue the sheriff’s race.

“I’m not sure how he feels he can get away with that,” said one woman.

“I think people have strong opinions and it would influence how they vote,” said another woman.

Szabo isn’t backing down.

He says, “Why is there a difference between someone who is 20 years old and their life is in danger and someone who is nine months in utero.”

Szabo will face off against the current sheriff in the Republican primary next month.

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Jaffrey New Hampshire Cancels Annual Atlas Fireworks Festival To Pacify Terrorist – Local Police Department, With Long History Of Incredible Stupidity, Call In State And Feds To Investigate

JAFFREY, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The Annual Jaffrey Festival of Fireworks that draws tens of thousands of people to the town every August has been canceled after authorities received a bomb threat in a letter.

The festival was planned to take place on Saturday.

Jaffrey police, the Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce and the Keene Sentinel received the threatening letter on Thursday.

“In those communications, the author indicated a direct threat of violent action that would take place at or near the local airport where the Annual Jaffrey Festival of Fireworks is scheduled to take place this Saturday, August 18th.

An investigation was begun immediately. Due to the nature of this threat, I have sought assistance from local, county, state and federal agencies,” Police Chief William Oswalt said in a press release.

“This is being investigated as a bomb threat directed at the people attending the fireworks show with the apparent motive of causing disruption of the event and an adverse impact on the Town of Jaffrey,” he wrote.

The annual fireworks festival has been a fundraising event for the chamber of commerce for many years and has traditionally taken place at the Silver Ranch Airpark in town. Atlas PyroVision Productions of Jaffrey puts on the fireworks show.

That investigation is being led by the Jaffrey police with assistance from the NH Attorney General’s office, the U. S. Attorney, NH State Police as well as agents from the FBI, ATF and the Postal Inspector’s office.

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Southwest Airlines Pilot Assaulted By TSA Agent Bob Harbaugh At Manchester New Hampshire Airport When He Dared To Complain About Screening And Ask For Agent’s Supervisor

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Police are investigating a confrontation between a pilot and Transportation Safety Administration supervisor at a security checkpoint in Manchester-Boston Regional Airport on Friday.

There were no charges filed Friday and investigators planned to look at video surveillance footage to determine whether any were warranted, Londonderry Police Lt. Tim Jones said.

An officer on patrol at the airport responded after something angered Southwest Airlines pilot John Mcghie as he went through security screening around 10:30 a.m, Jones said.

Mcghie complained he had difficulty in the past with security at the Manchester aiport and demanded to speak to a supervisor, who only upset Mcghie more, Jones said.

“He felt that the supervisor was condescending and patronizing. He wanted the supervisor’s name but he refused to give it,” Jones said.

The argument escalated from there, but never got more physical than TSA official Bob Harbaugh touching Mcghie’s arm, Jones said.

“At that point Mr. Mcghie told him not to touch him. Mr. Harbaugh became defensive and threatened to call the police,” Jones said.

Police arrived and took accounts from both men.

Mcghie said he told Harbaugh not to touch him a second time and Harbaugh complied, but the pilot told police he still wanted to see Harbaugh face criminal charges.

Mcghie also said he never raised his voice during the incident and told the officer that he had problems with the TSA at Manchester in the past.

The TSA was aware of the confrontation by Friday afternoon and was leaving the final investigation up to Londonderry police.

“A preliminary review of the situation indicates that the officer followed proper screening protocol,” said Ann Davis, TSA spokeswoman for the Northeast Region. “We’ll await the Londonderry Police Department’s findings as well.”

Southwest spokeswoman Christi McNeill said the airline was also looking into Mcghie’s actions but had no immediate response on Friday afternoon.

A message left at a listing for a John Mcghie in Concord was not immediately returned.

Jones said the argument did not heat up enough to draw the attention of any witnesses. Mcghie told police he was not loud during the confrontation.

Although the airport is in Manchester, Londonderry police are under contract to oversee law enforcement at the airport.

Jones said the security footage taken at the checkpoint area should clear up whether the confrontation amounted to an assault.

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Hillsborough County New Hampshire District Attorney’s Office Charges Journalist With Reporting On Manchester Police Officer Darren Murphy Slamming A Handcuffed Student’s Face Into A Cafeteria Table

KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE – The controversial felony wiretapping charges journalist and CopBlock.org founder Adam ‘Ademo’ Mueller is facing will go to trial, a situation that has stirred up a hornet’s nest of free speech advocates in New Hampshire. The “Free Ademo” supporters are planning to show their support en masse at Hillsboro County Superior Court when jury selection for the trial begins at 9 a.m. Monday, August 6. This will be the first time an activist has taken a case this serious to trial since the state passed HB 146, a jury nullification law that ensures the defense’s right to inform the jury of their right to issue “not guilty” verdicts when they disagree with the application of the law in question.

According to court documents, the three wiretapping charges stem from a vlog Mueller posted on CopBlock.org, which featured recordings of on-duty public officials being interviewed about alleged police brutality at a local school. Mueller was reporting about a video recorded by a Manchester West High School student’s cell phone, depicting Officer Darren Murphy slamming a handcuffed student’s face into a cafeteria table. The video later went viral.

“Why am I in jail with a guy who beats up his wife and gets a one-year sentence from the state, but I’m facing 21 years for filming somebody?” Mueller told Judge Kenneth Brown in court last week. “I am confident I can show a jury, with facts and logic, that I shouldn’t be caged for my actions. My mind is free and my conscience is clear. I haven’t harmed anyone and I’ve done what I feel is right. I’ll be an activist of freedom until the day I die,” he later wrote in a blog posted to CopBlock.org.

Muller’s case (docket #216-2011-CR-01055, State V. Adam Mueller) is not a unique one. There have been many similar stories in the media over the last couple of years, with police hiding evidence of misconduct by threatening people with wiretapping laws and other catch-all charges, such as refusing to obey a lawful order, interfering with a police officer, disorderly conduct or obstructing an arrest. More frequently, police won’t make arrests but they will illegally confiscate cameras, delete videos and photos or incorrectly tell citizens that filming is not allowed.

“A public official who is on duty and in a public space has no expectation of privacy. The First Circuit Court of Appeals has already ruled on this in Glik vs. Cunniff,” said Ian Freeman, co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show Free Talk Live. “The person who should face consequences is the officer who threw that poor kid into a table during lunch at the school cafeteria, not the journalist who reported about it.”

Although free speech activists are planning to pack the streets near the courthouse at Monday’s jury selection in Keene, many are already participating in a phone call and letter writing campaign to Judge Kenneth Brown and Michael Valentine, the prosecuting attorney for the “Live Free or Die” state. A full list of ways that the public – including those who live outside of New Hampshire – can participate in CopBlock’s “Free Ademo” campaign can be viewed on their website.

“Bring on the circus!” Mueller told the judge in anticipation of his trial, which is scheduled to begin August 13.

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Bedford New Hampshire Police Officer Charged With Stealing Vest As Police Motorcycle Club Robbed Store Dead After Committing Suicide At Home

BEDFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – A second police officer charged with stealing a vest last May from Brian Blackden’s North State Street pepper spray supply shop died at his home May 11, the day the complaints were filed in court.

Gary Norton, a 48-year-old Bedford police sergeant, had not yet been issued a summons for the misdemeanor theft charge, Concord police Lt. Timothy O’Malley said yesterday.

O’Malley said he couldn’t comment on Norton’s cause of death, but Assistant Safety Commissioner Earl Sweeney confirmed the sergeant’s death was a suicide, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Sweeney did not return calls for comment yesterday, and neither did Bedford police Chief John Bryfonski. An obituary published in the Union Leader yesterday said Norton, who worked for the Bedford police for 15 years, died at his home May 11.

Norton and Hill police Sgt. Jonathan Evans, 56, were charged with theft by unauthorized taking for allegedly stealing a vest last May from Blackden’s store at 485 N. State St., where Blackden says he was robbed and threatened by five members of a police motorcycle club.

The complaints, which were signed by the Concord police and filed in Concord’s district court, don’t provide any description of the incident beyond the allegations that Norton and Evans took a vest that belonged to Blackden. O’Malley has directed questions to the Cheshire County Attorney’s Office, where he said the case was transferred because of possible conflicts of interest.

The assistant Cheshire County attorney handling the case, John Webb, did not return calls for comment.

Blackden said he was robbed by men who belonged to the Road Dawgs, a motorcycle club for active and retired officers. The men, who were wearing the club’s colors, took the vest because they believed it belonged to them, Blackden said.

Evans said Thursday that he had been a member of the Road Dawgs but resigned from the club last year. He didn’t comment further on the allegations but said he “didn’t break the law doing anything of that nature.”

Evans’s employment status hasn’t changed since he was charged, and Chief David Kranz said he and the selectmen were confident Evans “had no wrongdoing in the incident.” He is due in court June 18.

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Botched Police Raid In Greenland New Hampsire Ends With Three Dead, Including Police Chief, And Four Other Officers Shot

GREENLAND, NEW HAMPSHIRE – The body of a man suspected of killing a New Hampshire police chief and wounding four other officers during a drug raid Thursday has been found in a house along with that of an unidentified woman, the Attorney General said.

At a news conference, Attorney General Michael Delaney said a police robot placed in the house around 2 a.m. Friday detected the bodies of suspect Cullen Mutrie and a woman. He said both died of gunshot wounds.

The two had been holed up in the house since the shootings took place Thursday evening.

Officials said Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney was killed and four other officers were injured when Muthrie opened fire on them. Two officers were shot in the chest and were in intensive care early Friday. Two others were treated and released. The four injured officers were from area departments and were working as part of a drug task force.

The shootings Thursday evening devastated Greenland, a town of 3,500 near the seacoast that had just seven police officers including Maloney, 48, who was due to retire in less than two weeks.

“In those final days, he sacrificed his life in public service as a law enforcement officer in New Hampshire,” Delaney said.

Maloney had 26 years of experience in law enforcement, the last 12 as chief of the Greenland department.

Jacqueline DeFreze, who lives a half-mile down the road, said she was crushed by reports that the chief had been shot. She’d planned to attend a surprise party for his retirement.

“I’m a wreck. He was just the greatest guy,” said DeFreze, a fourth-grade teacher in nearby Rye. “He’s kind-hearted, always visible in the community.”

John Penacho, chairman of the town’s Board of Selectman, said Maloney was married with children.

“It’s a blow to all of us. You’re stunned. It’s New Hampshire, it’s a small town,” he said. “We’re stunned. I mean all of us. It’s an unbelievable situation.”

Asked what the town will do to help residents cope with the tragedy, Penacho said “We’ll do whatever we need to do.”

Lee Miller, who lives next door to where the shootings took place, said she heard at least six shots on Thursday. Fearing for her 12-year-old grandson who was visiting her, she said she went to the window and saw someone on the ground. Moments later, police knocked on her door, telling them to run outside and take cover behind a police cruiser.

Police later escorted Miller and her grandson to a nearby school.

State police and officers from many departments responded after the initial call around 6 p.m. Thursday.

Gov. John Lynch was at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where the officers were taken. He asked residents to pray for the injured officers and Maloney’s family.

“My thoughts and prayers and those of my wife, Susan, are with the family of Chief Michael Maloney. Chief Maloney’s unwavering courage and commitment to protecting others serves as an example to us all,” he said.

The tree-lined street, closed off by police, features single-family homes and duplexes. The shootings took place at 517 Post Road, a 2-bedroom, 1½ -story structure that’s listed as owned by the Beverly Mutrie Revocable Trust, according to tax assessor records.

The Portsmouth Herald reported in February 2011 that Cullen Mutrie, 29, was a resident of the home on 517 Post Road and had been arrested and charged with possession of anabolic steroids.

The newspaper reported that the steroids were found in the home when officers went to confiscate guns after Mutrie was arrested on domestic assault charges. According to a police affidavit, the steroids were found in Mutrie’s living room on July 24, 2010, but were not verified by the state crime lab until Jan. 18.

Miller told The Associated Press that she had complained to police repeatedly about suspected drug activity at the house and had been told it was under investigation.

She said late-night fights at the house were so frequent that she moved her bed around so that it was no longer near a window facing the driveway.

The other officers shot were: Detective Gregory Turner, 32, a six-year veteran of the Dover police department, who was treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder and released; Detective Eric Kulberg, 31, a seven-year veteran of the University of New Hampshire police department, who was treated for a gunshot wound to the arm and released; Detective Scott Kukesh, 33, a 10-year veteran of the Newmarket police department, who was in intensive care awaiting surgery for a gunshot wound to the chest; and Detective Jeremiah Murphy, 34, a seven-year veteran of the Rochester police department, who was in intensive care after surgery for a gunshot wound to the chest.

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Four South-East New Hampshire Cops Shot And Greenland Police Chief Dead In Botched Raid

GREENLAND, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Five police officers in New Hampshire were shot as they tried to serve a search warrant in a drug investigation Thursday night, and local media reported that one of them, the Greenland police chief, had died from a bullet to the head.

Officers may have interrupted a drug deal at the house, the Union Leader of Manchester reported.

Early Friday, state Atty. Gen. Michael Delaney confirmed that Chief Michael Maloney had been killed, the Associated Press reported.

The incident began around 6 p.m. in the quiet seaside town of 3,500 residents. At 11 p.m., police said, a man and a woman remained barricaded inside.

“We are working with federal, state and local law enforcement to try to obtain a peaceful resolution,” Delaney said late Thursday. “I do want to extend my thoughts and prayers to families and relatives and loved ones of the police officer that has been killed and the four police officers that have been injured.”

Maloney was to have retired in less than two weeks.

The violence shocked the community.

“It’s a blow to all of us,” John Penacho, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, told the Associated Press. “You’re stunned. It’s New Hampshire, it’s a small town.… It’s an unbelievable situation.”

Tammy Sullivan, who lives across the street from the house, told the Union Leader she saw three police officers felled when she looked out her window after hearing several gunshots.

“I saw the officers shot from the house and I saw them go down,” she said. “They were running from the house and the guy started shooting like crazy. All of a sudden cops came flying from everywhere.”

Officers told her to take cover in her basement and stay there, she said.

About 11 p.m., she told the newspaper that police were urging the man to talk to them on his cellphone. “They’re telling him they don’t want anybody else hurt and they want this to be a safe night,” she said.

The resident of the home was Cullen Mutrie, 29, the Union Leader said.

Gov. John Lynch rushed to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where the officers were being treated.

“This is a tragic incident, and my thoughts and prayers are with the officers involved and their families,” the Democratic governor told the Associated Press.

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NH Woman Fined $6,000 And Lien Placed On Home For Planting Tiny Flower Garden

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Kimberly Bois’ tiny front yard garden isn’t much to look at right now. But in a few weeks, it’ll be in full bloom, and every blossom will cost her dearly.

Even though she says her builder gave her permission to do a little planting, the current condo board now says she’s in violation.

They’re charging the Portsmouth, New Hampshire homeowner $50 a day for being so petal pushy. That fine has reached close to $6,000, plus the board’s legal fees.

“It’s just not a happy place to live anymore for me,” says Bois, who planted the small flower bed with the help of her mother, who has since passed away.

She says, “It just feels like we’ve been bullied and really all we wanted to do was have a conversation to figure out how this can benefit all of us.”

A new certified letter arrives every month, ordering Bois to uproot her garden and keeping track of her fines.

It got so bad, she contacted a Realtor friend of hers to talk about just selling the place that she has owned since 2008.

That’s when she got the real shock: the board put a lien on her townhouse for their fines.

Bois says the whole situation has, “gotten out of control.”

She even offered to pull up the flowers and pay part of the board’s legal fees a couple of weeks ago – an offer she says was refused.

The association’s bylaws don’t expressly forbid planting flowers on your property, Bois explains, nor do they explicitly allow it.

Board members have told Bois they just want all the units to look the same.

“Now we’ve gone down a rabbit hole that I just can’t seem to get out of and it’s very sad, and it’s upsetting,” she says.

WBZ reached out to the attorney who represents the condo association, but he did not respond our request for comment.

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Two Jaffrey New Hampshire Police Officers Get “Nasal Mucus” With Their Dunkin Donuts Coffee

JAFFREY, NEW HAMPSHIRE - A former Dunkin’ Donuts employee has been accused of adding “nasal mucus” to the coffees of two Jaffrey police officers.

According to police, on June 19 two police officers went to the Dunkin’ Donuts on Peterborough Street and ordered two cups of coffee from 20-year-old Christopher Hildreth.

Authorities said Hildreth grabbed two coffee cups, then went to the back room to make the coffee. The officers said in the affidavit that they found the behavior odd since they had ordered coffee from Hildreth before and had never seen him go out back to make coffee.

The officers were able to watch Hildreth from a store-front video monitor that shows a view of the back room, police said. The officers said they watched Hildreth put nasal mucus into the cups.

The officers did not say anything to Hildreth but later returned the coffees and contacted the manager to review the surveillance tapes.

The store manager reviewed the tape and terminated Hildreth shortly after viewing them.

Hildreth has been charged with two counts of attempted simple assault.

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Pelham New Hampshire Police Officer Sgt. Mike Pickles Attacked Unarmed Cow Using Taser Weapon

PELHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Pelham police say they were justified in using a Taser several times on a cow, despite a complaint from its owner.

Last Saturday, one of Wendy Bordeleau’s two cows got loose from her 30-acre farm.

About a dozen people were trying to coral 800-pound Houdini across busy Mammoth Road when police showed up with their tasers.

“They said ‘We’re going to tase her, we’re going to taser it,’ and the group was pleading with them. Everyone was kinda yelling, ‘Please don’t taser the cow, it’s only going to make it worse,” she told WBZ NewsRadio 1030.

Houdini was zapped at least four times.

“It didn’t really affect the cow all that much. It kind of realized that something had hit it and that it was comparable to a bee sting.”

However, Bordeleau thought police went too far.

Sgt. Mike Pickles told WBZ he made the right decision.

“It blew through a wooden fence right next to me. That was the time a decision was made. I have to do something to try and control this animal,” he said.

“As a matter of public safety, that is a better option than just allowing things to happen and people get hurt.”

The cow made it home safely and, at last check, was eating grass.

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Former Amesbury Massachusetts Police Officer Mark Valli Arrested In Undercover Prostitution Sting

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE – A former Amesbury police officer was one of three men arrested in a prostitution sting over the weekend, police say.

Mark Valli, 51, of Newburyport was arrested Saturday night when Portsmouth police say he arrived at a local hotel expecting to pay a prostitute for sex. Instead, he and two other men were arrested.

Valli was an officer in Amesbury from the early 1990s to 2004. Amesbury police Chief Mark Gagnon wouldn’t say why Valli left the department, the Portsmouth Herald reported.

Also arrested Saturday was 47-year-old John Thibault of Greenland, N.H., and 33-year-old Jacob Stellar of Strafford, N.H.

The three were all charged with misdemeanor offenses relating to the solicitation of a prostitute. They each face fines of up to $1,200.

In 2003, Valli was one of three Amesbury officers who won the state’s prestigious George L. Hanna Award for bravery, for their response to a deadly domestic incident. On March 26, 2002, Valli and officers David Noyes and Matthew Cunningham responded to an apartment at 7 Green St., where Dorothy Giunta-Cotter, who lived there with her daughters, was being held at gunpoint by her husband. Her husband shot and killed her, then later shot and killed himself.

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New Hampshire Bill To Criminalize “Security Agents” Viewing Or Touching Genitals Or Breasts Without Probable Cause – Violators To Be Classified As Sex Offenders And Placed On Registry For Life :)

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – A House committee held a hearing Tuesday on a bill that would make it a sexual assault for an airport screener to touch or view a person’s breast or genitals without probable cause.

The bill (HB628-FN) includes anyone working as a security agent of the federal, state, or local government, and includes touching or viewing with a “technological device.”

The bill states “discussing or possessing a copy of the Constitution, discussing the security apparatus of an airport, being on the premises of an airport, possessing an airplane ticket or any other type of ticket for access to mass transportation, driving a motor vehicle on a public way, or ownership of firearms” should not be considered probable cause.

Anyone convicted of the offense would be classified as a tier III sex offender. Tier III sex offenders are registered for life and must remain on the public list of sex offenders.

The bill was heard by the House Criminal Justice Committee at 11:15 a.m.

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Former Boscawen New Hampshire Police Officer Daniel Ball Arrested, Charged With Beating Man At Merrimack County Jail – Falsely Charged His Victim With Denting Patrol Car With His Head

BOSCAWEN, NEW HAMPSHIRE - A former Boscawen police officer is facing accusations of using excessive force against a man already handcuffed and on his way to jail.

The incident was recorded by security cameras at the Merrimack County House of Corrections.

Last July, when Officer Daniel Ball arrested Chris Smith of Boscawen after a domestic incident, cameras at the jail showed Ball putting on a pair of gloves and taking Smith out of the back of his police cruiser.

The video showed what looked like an exchange of words. For a few moments, Ball holds Smith in place, and then in a whirling motion, Ball slams Smith onto the hood of the cruiser and back into the wall.

Smith is now filing a civil lawsuit against Ball, the Boscawen Police Department, the jail and Officer Nick Emery. Smith claims Emery corroborated Ball’s version of what happened.

“Chris Smith was knocked unconscious by this. He had blood on his face. The video reflects that there was a pool of blood that formed underneath his head,” said Rick Lehmann, Smith’s attorney.

Smith was charged with two crimes for what was seen in the video: resisting arrest and criminal mischief for denting the police cruiser with his head.

A jury found him not guilty on the latter charge but convicted him of resisting arrest.

Efforts to reach the Boscawen Police Department, the town of Boscawen and the Merrimack County Jail for comment were unsuccessful.

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Crazed State Of New Hampshire Officials Kidnap Newborn Due To Parents Political Beliefs

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – A newborn baby was ripped from its mother’s arms by officials from the New Hampshire Division of Family Child Services accompanied by police after authorities cited the parents’ association with the Oath Keepers organization as one of the primary reasons for the snatch, heralding a shocking new level of persecution where Americans’ political beliefs are now being used by the state to kidnap children.

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Broke State Of New Hampshire To Release Sex Offenders Who Haven’t Completed Rehabilitation Program Under New Law

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Saying they had no other choice under new mandatory parole laws, state Adult Parole Board members yesterday agreed to set free eight inmates nearing their maximum term in jail. Among the paroled were child sex predators who have not completed prison programs aimed at rehabilitating them, according to Department of Corrections records.

“You are a danger. You are a predator,” board member Mark Furlone said to Robin Woodburn Jr., 34, of Manchester. “I think it is disgusting we have to parole you out.”

Woodburn’s victims were 7 and 13.

Woodburn said he wanted to be released to the Concord area and is looking for a spot in a rooming house.

Senate Bill 500 requires that violent offenders coming before the board be released nine months before their maximum prison sentence is served. The measure allows non-violent offenders to be paroled after they have served 120 percent of their minimum sentence.

The Department of Corrections estimates Senate Bill 500 will save about $7 million over five years and decrease the inmate population by 500 to 600.

Jeff Lyons, spokesman for the department, has said the law ensures that the last nine months of an inmate’s maximum sentence are spent under “intense supervision” in the community.
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Sex offenders (from left) Anthony Blakney, Michael Navarro, Theodore Roosevelt and Robin Woodburn Jr. are among the first inmates to be released under Senate Bill 500.

But board member Alan Coburn, who was serving as chairman yesterday, said he was told by staff that even if a person coming up on mandatory release has no place to live, no job or no treatment set up, he still has to be paroled.

Advocates for Senate Bill 500 have said the bill would reallocate savings from the early release into programs within the community and provide treatment such as counseling for inmates. (See related story.)

They argue that in the past, inmates who “max” out their time go into the community without any plan or support, and that this change ultimately would be safer and give victims more knowledge and control.

Sex offenders Woodburn, Michael Navarro, Anthony Blakney and Theodore Roosevelt are among the first inmates to be released under Senate Bill 500.

►End of inmate program raises questions (4)

Navarro, who was convicted of aggravated felonious sexual assault on a 15-year-old, said he plans to move to Kittery, Maine. He said he plans to seek sex offender treatment once a week in Biddeford, Maine, and go to police station and register in Kittery. He was told he could have no contact with minor females or the victim, no porn and no internet.

“We are going to put you on the strictest supervision that Maine offers,” Coburn said, but noted that the state could reject the plan.

Anthony Blakney, 27, of Manchester, will be released Oct. 28. He has been serving five years for 10 counts of felonious sexual assault on a 15-year-old in 2004. He was kicked out of sex offender treatment for behavioral reasons, and has had 23 disciplinary write-ups in less than three years, according to DOC records.

Yesterday in Berlin, prison staff said he was convicted of carrying a deadly weapon in the prison, a metal shank.

Jeramie M. Johnson Sr., 25, of Laconia, will be released on Nov. 19 to his aunt’s home in Franklin. He was originally convicted on a burglary offense, but while incarcerated was convicted of indecent exposure and lewdness.

He refused sex offender treatment while incarcerated.

“I am here on a burglary and I was never convicted of a sex crime,” he said by video relay from the prison in Berlin.

“Are you willing to do sex offender treatment on the outside?” asked Coburn.

“No,” the inmate said.

“We are going to release you because we have to,” Coburn said. “What we are here to do is to set conditions.”

The board agreed to require Johnson attend a sex offender treatment. He was also ordered to have no contact with children, register as a sex offender in Franklin and have an alcohol evaluation.

John Eckert, executive assistant to the parole board, said yesterday the purpose of parole is to encourage inmates to get it together.

“Now, from an institutional perspective, there is no incentive,” he said.

Also granted mandatory parole yesterday were:

– Mark J. Ouellette, 24, of Laconia who received a two-to-four-year sentence for robbery. He will be eligible for release on Nov. 1. The conditions set yesterday include no contact with Cumberland Farms and the Laconia Spa store, no weapons, and completing a high school graduation equivalency. He said he had no definite plan for where he would stay, but has relatives in Manchester.

– Robert Richardson, 40, of Manchester, originally incarcerated for stalking, is currently serving one to two years for possession of drugs. He said he plans to be released to the Manchester homeless shelter.

– Christopher Moore of Dover, was convicted of unarmed robbery and simple assault. He will be released Oct. 12.

If those who are paroled violate their conditions, they can be returned to the jail for no more than 90 days.

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Dumbass Salisbury New Hampshire Police Chief Frank Jones Doesn’t Know The Difference Between A “Tire Tool” And A “Pipe Bomb”

SALISBURY, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Prosecutors this week dropped a reckless-conduct charge against a Salisbury man after what the police initially described as a powerful pipe bomb at his home turned out to be a “tire thumper” used to check the pressure of truck tires, his lawyer said.

The misdemeanor charge against Walter Scott Jr., formerly a volunteer fireman, was dropped Tuesday, the day the 59-year-old was scheduled for trial in Franklin District Court.

The item found at Scott’s home at 445 Old Turnpike Road on March 16 “was not a bomb, not a ‘device,’ could not have harmed anyone unless they were hit over the head with it,” Scott’s attorney, Ted Barnes, wrote in an e-mail.

Assistant Merrimack County Attorney Alexander Gatzoulis, the prosecutor in the case, confirmed yesterday that the charge was dropped but declined to explain why, except that new information came to light.

Salisbury police Chief Frank Jones brought the reckless conduct charge against Scott, writing in a criminal complaint dated May 7 that Scott “did possess a device recognized to be consistent with a pipe-bomb . . . in his driveway, thereby placing himself” and others in the area “in danger of serious bodily injury.”

Jones told the Monitor later that month that the device was a powerful bomb and was complete except for a fuse.

“This could have potentially destroyed a home, easily,” Jones said.

But according to a portion of a state police report, dated June 11 and accompanying a later court filing by Barnes, the device was a PVC pipe, about two-and-a-half feet long, with metal weights inside.

While “appearing to be a pipe bomb,” the report said, it contained “no powder or explosive or fuse.”

“What else is there in a bomb?” Barnes said.

Jones didn’t return a message left yesterday at the police station seeking comment.

Gatzoulis declined to discuss specifics of the case.

“I’m not going against the chief. I’m not confirming or denying it was a bomb. . . . At the time, Chief Jones was working with what he had to work with, and he went forward with the proper course of action,” Gatzoulis said. “But sometimes, new information comes up after the initial date of investigation.”

Based on such new information, he said, “We just decided that this would be the best way to go forward.”

Scott had found the pipe and brought it home, Barnes said.

“He’s a bit of a scavenger,” Barnes said. “Or was. He doesn’t do it anymore.”

The pipe had end caps, and when Scott looked inside, he saw insulation. Concerned, and unsure if it could be a pipe bomb, he called Jones, Barnes said.

Officers from Salisbury, Andover, Boscawen and the state police responded. The state police bomb squad destroyed the pipe with a water cannon at the scene, Barnes said.

“This was not a device of any description,” Barnes said. “It’s just something to bang on a tire with.”

Scott, a longtime volunteer firefighter, was relieved of duty “pending the outcome of this whole issue,” said Ken Ross-Raymond, chairman of the Salisbury selectmen. Ross-Raymond said, to the best of his knowledge, Scott hasn’t been reinstated.

Scott didn’t return a message seeking comment, nor did Rick Gilman, the town fire chief.

Ross-Raymond said he didn’t know if the board of selectmen would discuss the case.

“We’re not law-enforcement people, so I don’t know,” he said. “We are supervisors, but I don’t know what right we have to question his judgment, things of that nature.”

Barnes said he didn’t know if Scott will sue the town.

“I know that what he wants is an apology, at the very least,” Barnes said.

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Portsmouth New Hampshire Judge Stops Criminal Trial And Blasts City Prosecutor For Defective Complaint Again Man

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE – An hour-long trial when Justin Hunt, 24, was accused of stealing a $10.99 bottle of vodka ended Tuesday with Judge Sawako Gardner scolding the city’s police prosecutor for filing “defective” legal complaints with the court.

Hunt, of Portsmouth, was on trial for a charge alleging he went into the state liquor store on Islington Street, slipped a bottle of vodka into his sleeve and walked past the cash registers before being stopped by employees. Store manager Robert Coleman testified that Hunt stole the liquor on May 19, “ran off and we grabbed him.”

“He never left the store?” Hunt’s attorney Joe Malfitani asked.

“No, we wouldn’t let him,” said Coleman.

A second liquor store employee, Daniel Wiseman, said Hunt pushed him and was restrained after he pulled the vodka bottle from his sleeve “right in front of me.”

After the witnesses testified, Malfitani told the court the charge alleging Hunt committed the crime of wilful concealment should be dismissed because police filed the complaint with language alleging he committed a theft. Prosecutor Karl Durand told the court that the complaint had been filed properly, while the judge disagreed.

“Why doesn’t the state look at the complaints before you go to trial,” she said. “It’s so simple. The complaint is obviously defective, witnesses took time out of their day to be here and this is not the first time a complaint has been defective.”

The judge said Hunt’s charge was “so defective” she believed she would have to dismiss it in spite of evidence that Hunt was guilty of a crime. Instead, the judge gave both sides 10 days to file further motions.

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Rochester New Hampshire Police Target Those “Loitering” In Area City Converted To A Community Gathering Spot

ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE - In an ironic twist, police say there has been an increase in complaints about people loitering at Factory Court, the side street converted last year into a community gathering spot.

Police Capt. Paul Callaghan confirmed that through communications with Rochester Main Street and discussions officers on foot patrol have with business owners, the department has fielded numerous complaints about people congregating at Factory Court and staying there for hours on end.

He said police have been asked to disperse unruly groups, but it is a difficult issue because if the people are not committing crimes, police cannot force them to move along.

Some reports have involved disorderly conduct at the site, and Callaghan said police are taking a “zero tolerance” stance against such activities. Since warmer weather hit about six weeks ago, there has been a large increase in reports of littering, boisterous behavior and one case of indecent exposure, he said.

Police are focusing on the area, with officers on motorcycles, bicycles and foot patrols, as well as plainclothes cops, patrolling Factory Court, he said.

“When officers are there it’s fine. It’s when they’re not there that there’s issues,” Callaghan said.

Some have even requested no loitering signs, but Main Street officials note loitering is exactly what the alley off North Main Street was designed for. One such exchange occurred at a recent Historic District Commission meeting. HDC Chairman Nel Sylvain asked Main Street Executive Director Mike Provost about problems with Factory Court and wondered what could be done about the perceived problem.

With the money and effort put into making Factory Court a pleasant destination, said Sylvain, “I don’t want to see a bunch of people sleeping on the benches at night.”

Provost said Main Street is well aware of the issue, but noted, “It’s really hard to throw someone out unless they’re doing something wrong.”

Sylvain said his remarks were in reference to activities that supposedly go on at Factory Court between midnight and 6 a.m., including homeless people sleeping on the benches there. Callaghan said he could not confirm homeless have been using the area to sleep, but noted that complaints come in about different activities going on there throughout the day.

Of the situation with the homeless, Provost said at the HDC meeting, “It’s actually happening around town a lot more than people think it is,” adding, “We’re aware of it (and) we’re working on it the best we can.”

When Factory Court first opened as a pedestrian gathering spot last August, officials lauded it as a place where the community could get together, enjoy live music and take in the downtown. Callaghan, who serves as president of Main Street’s board of directors, said that is still what they want and they do not want to discourage people from congregating there.

“Our mission is to make the downtown a destination and source of pride,” he said, adding Factory Court is one small piece of that. “We’re really going to start seeing the benefits of it next week” when the Brown Baggers concert series starts up.

Provost said Friday that Factory Court was designed to allow people to linger, enjoy a sandwich and take in the downtown. However, he said some people are treating it like “it’s their exclusive backyard patio,” preventing others from using the area as well.

“Some people are overstaying much longer than they should,” he said, adding some will eat there and leave litter lying around for volunteers to clean up.

“The flip side is ‘No Loitering’ takes away the reason to create public spaces in the downtown,” Provost said. “I think people have to remember downtown has to be for everyone … Sometimes (people are) quick to judge by looks, but we are a community and all types of people make up the community.”

Provost said singling out certain people who use Factory Court is a step toward gentrification, which he thinks is not something the city wants.

“My personal view is that’s not something Rochester really wants … I think they want a real, vibrant, live community.”

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Hundreds Of New England Police Officers, Firefighters, And EMTs Used Bogus Certificates For Licenses

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – More than 200 emergency medical technicians, firefighters and police officers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire may have to surrender their licenses after an investigation into falsified EMT course completion certificates, state officials say.

First responders must complete recertification courses every two years, but the investigation found that although some of them had been awarded certificates, they had not attended all the required classes, said Jen Manley, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

All of those under suspicion had been trained correctly before, she said, and the Public Health Department has not found any incidents in which they provided inadequate care.

However, the department considers this a matter of falsifying training records and those under investigation are voluntarily suspended from providing medical treatment, Manley said.

The investigation, which is ongoing, began a month ago, she said.

Sue Prentiss, chief of emergency medical services for the New Hampshire Department of Safety, told CNN that up to 39 New Hampshire EMTs who received training at Massachusetts facilities also allegedly obtained false certifications.

All individuals under suspicion in the two states have confessed, and some are in the process of obtaining correct recertification, Manley and Prentiss said.

The certifications under investigation were issued in 2008 and 2009, according to Manley, and the state is currently reviewing records from the past two years.

The Boston Fire Department was notified about the investigation, which concerns 18 of their firefighters, on Wednesday, said spokesman Steve MacDonald. He said the fire department is not yet aware of what the 18 firefighters would be charged with, just that their names are on the list.

Although firefighters are not required to receive EMT certification, the fire department issues stipends to individuals who complete the courses as an incentive for them to be trained as first responders, MacDonald said. Recertification courses cost $100 to $200 and stipends can go up to $2,000.

Prentiss told CNN that the New Hampshire Department of Safety became aware of the allegations on May 13 when one of the training institutions came to the department with the results of an internal investigation. All of the training institutions being investigated are cooperating with the state and have provided lists of individuals who attended their classes, Manley and Prentiss said.

Both told CNN that although private employers can discipline workers as they see fit, the states will not pursue punishment until the investigation is complete. However, “we take this very seriously” said Manley, and the state might consider suspending or revoking the licenses of EMTs with falsified certificates.

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Manchester New Hampshire Police Overreact After State Rep. Receives An Envelope Full Of Tea Leaves

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE - A New Hampshire group trying to take a stand against government spending is changing its tactics a bit after causing a hazmat scare at a congressional office.

Staffers at Rep. Carol Shea-Porter’s Manchester office called police last week when the received an envelope full of tea leaves from a Pelham dentist. Similar “tea party” protests have been popping up around the country to express opposition to the federal stimulus package and other government spending.

WMUR-TV reports that New Hampshire organizers are now asking people to scale back, and send a tag from a tea bag instead of the tea itself.

Appeared Here

Manchester New Hampshire Police Overreact After State Rep. Receives An Envelope Full Of Tea Leaves

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE - A New Hampshire group trying to take a stand against government spending is changing its tactics a bit after causing a hazmat scare at a congressional office.

Staffers at Rep. Carol Shea-Porter’s Manchester office called police last week when the received an envelope full of tea leaves from a Pelham dentist. Similar “tea party” protests have been popping up around the country to express opposition to the federal stimulus package and other government spending.

WMUR-TV reports that New Hampshire organizers are now asking people to scale back, and send a tag from a tea bag instead of the tea itself.

Appeared Here

Crazed Portsmouth New Hampshire Police Officer Richard Brabazon And Sgt. Kuffer Kaltenborn Charge Man With Felony After He Gave Someone The Middle Finger

PORTSMOUTH — A Richards Avenue resident is being held on cash bail for a felony charge alleging he displayed his middle finger to someone who had a protection order against him.

Carlos Enriquez, 42, of 177 Richards Ave., is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on a felony charge of violating a protective order and a class A misdemeanor count of stalking. Both charges allege that on Jan. 24 Enriquez held up his middle finger to the victim while both were dining separately at the Friendly Toast, at 121 Congress St.

According to an affidavit by Officer Richard Brabazon, the incident occurred in front of Enriquez’s child and that he eventually left the restaurant “with some assistance from restaurant staff.”

Police Sgt. Kuffer Kaltenborn said violation of protective order charges can be brought as felonies when the allegations are second offenses. However, the city prosecution office is expected to dismiss the felony against Enriquez on Monday, leaving the misdemeanor count of stalking, said Kaltenborn.

Enriquez is being held at the Rockingham County House of Corrections on $7,500 cash and $7,500 personal recognizance bail.

Appeared Here

Crazed Portsmouth New Hampshire Police Officer Richard Brabazon And Sgt. Kuffer Kaltenborn Charge Man With Felony After He Gave Someone The Middle Finger

PORTSMOUTH — A Richards Avenue resident is being held on cash bail for a felony charge alleging he displayed his middle finger to someone who had a protection order against him.

Carlos Enriquez, 42, of 177 Richards Ave., is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on a felony charge of violating a protective order and a class A misdemeanor count of stalking. Both charges allege that on Jan. 24 Enriquez held up his middle finger to the victim while both were dining separately at the Friendly Toast, at 121 Congress St.

According to an affidavit by Officer Richard Brabazon, the incident occurred in front of Enriquez’s child and that he eventually left the restaurant “with some assistance from restaurant staff.”

Police Sgt. Kuffer Kaltenborn said violation of protective order charges can be brought as felonies when the allegations are second offenses. However, the city prosecution office is expected to dismiss the felony against Enriquez on Monday, leaving the misdemeanor count of stalking, said Kaltenborn.

Enriquez is being held at the Rockingham County House of Corrections on $7,500 cash and $7,500 personal recognizance bail.

Appeared Here

Dumbass Salem New Hampshire Police Officer Leaves His Car Unlocked, Loses Handgun, Taser, And Pepper Spray To Unknown Thief

SALEM, NEW HAMPSHIRE - A Salem police officer faces disciplinary action after his firearm, Taser and pepper spray were stolen from his unlocked personal vehicle in Windham.

Authorities did not release the officer’s name, but said he breached department policy by leaving his duty belt unattended in his vehicle.

Windham Police Chief Gerald Lewis said recovering the weapon may be difficult depending on who took it and what they plan to do with it. Lewis has advised his officers to be cautious while responding to calls in the area.

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Dumbass Salem New Hampshire Police Officer Leaves His Car Unlocked, Loses Handgun, Taser, And Pepper Spray To Unknown Thief

SALEM, NEW HAMPSHIRE - A Salem police officer faces disciplinary action after his firearm, Taser and pepper spray were stolen from his unlocked personal vehicle in Windham.

Authorities did not release the officer’s name, but said he breached department policy by leaving his duty belt unattended in his vehicle.

Windham Police Chief Gerald Lewis said recovering the weapon may be difficult depending on who took it and what they plan to do with it. Lewis has advised his officers to be cautious while responding to calls in the area.

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Hillsborough County New Hampshire Superior Court Judge Robert Lynn Admits There Is A Double Standard, Gives Woman A Tiny Slap On The Wrist After Sex With A Child

NASHUA,NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acknowledging that a societal double standard exists, a judge on Monday sentenced a 38-year-old woman to a two- to four-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a teenage boy.

“Like it or not, an underage boy having sex with an older-aged girl is viewed differently than the other way around,” Hillsborough County Superior Court Judge Robert Lynn said before handing down the sentence on Nashua resident Robin Mowery.

Mowery also received three concurrent 3-1/2- to seven-year sentences that are suspended for good behavior upon completion of the first sentence.

She was convicted in June on four felony sex assault charges and acquitted on a fifth charge. At the time of the 2006 crimes, Mowery was 35, and the male, a friend of her teenage daughter, was 15.

While standards should hold equally, Lynn said, society has different viewpoints on male and female victims. In this case, Lynn said he weighed the extent of the teen’s victimization on how the boy “aggressively pursued” sex with Mowery. “Young men have raging hormones. It doesn’t make him a bad person,” the judge said.

But the teen also tried to use the relationship as a “bargaining chip” to escape penalty for crimes committed as a juvenile, Lynn said.

In arriving at the sentence, Lynn said he placed considerable weight on Mowery’s post-crime behavior, particularly her false testimony at trial.

Lynn chastised Mowery for falsely testifying that the teen forced her to have sex at knifepoint. She also falsely claimed he threatened to rape and kill her teenage daughter if she spoke about their affair.

“That was complete baloney,” the judge said.

Assistant County Attorney Patricia LaFrance had requested a stiffer sentence: roughly 8-1/2 to 21 years for the four felonies, with two sentences suspended and served concurrently.

When the hearing concluded, LaFrance left the courtroom seemingly angered, and didn’t offer much comment.

Mowery’s attorney, Adam Cook, asked Lynn to consider Mowery incompetent and thus strike the jury verdict.

“My client is not competent,” Cook said. “She’s now off opiates. She’s not okay.”

But Lynn said a doctor had found Mowery competent.

Lynn granted an unusual request in allowing three members of Mowery’s family to walk into the main courtroom area to hug her and offer words of encouragement prior to sentencing.

Mowery’s parents and sister echoed Cook’s claim that she is mentally ill and needs help.

Jamie Manning, her sister, said the divorce of their parents at a young age and abusive relationships had caused Mowery to concoct elaborate stories. She suggested having Mowery serve a home-confinement sentence with an electronic bracelet.

Mowery’s mother, Charlotte Collins, offered similar testimony. But Collins added that in Mowery’s “weakest state, she was taken advantage of.”

But LaFrance dismissed the testimony and said Mowery’s only weakness was lying.

“Someone usually says, ‘I was wrong’ – and saves the victim from testifying, but Robin Mowery lied several times,” she said.

LaFrance added that prosecutors are reviewing Mowery’s testimony for untruths, and could pursue more charges, presumably for perjury.

The teen’s father also addressed Lynn. He said he worried that other parents would face the same news he did in 2006: that Mowery assaulted their children.

The father said the assaults had changed his son. He said he worries his son’s emotional wounds will further surface at an older age.

Mowery was convicted of having sex with the boy on four occasions in April and May 2006. A jury acquitted her on a fifth charge that she initiated sex at a motel.

Mowery will receive 180 days time-served credit on her first sentence. The other three sentences will be suspended pending her good behavior and the following of guidelines for registered sex offenders.

She can no longer have contact with those younger than 16, except with family members. She must also undergo sex offender treatment.

Appeared Here

Hillsborough County New Hampshire Superior Court Judge Robert Lynn Admits There Is A Double Standard, Gives Woman A Tiny Slap On The Wrist After Sex With A Child

NASHUA,NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acknowledging that a societal double standard exists, a judge on Monday sentenced a 38-year-old woman to a two- to four-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a teenage boy.

“Like it or not, an underage boy having sex with an older-aged girl is viewed differently than the other way around,” Hillsborough County Superior Court Judge Robert Lynn said before handing down the sentence on Nashua resident Robin Mowery.

Mowery also received three concurrent 3-1/2- to seven-year sentences that are suspended for good behavior upon completion of the first sentence.

She was convicted in June on four felony sex assault charges and acquitted on a fifth charge. At the time of the 2006 crimes, Mowery was 35, and the male, a friend of her teenage daughter, was 15.

While standards should hold equally, Lynn said, society has different viewpoints on male and female victims. In this case, Lynn said he weighed the extent of the teen’s victimization on how the boy “aggressively pursued” sex with Mowery. “Young men have raging hormones. It doesn’t make him a bad person,” the judge said.

But the teen also tried to use the relationship as a “bargaining chip” to escape penalty for crimes committed as a juvenile, Lynn said.

In arriving at the sentence, Lynn said he placed considerable weight on Mowery’s post-crime behavior, particularly her false testimony at trial.

Lynn chastised Mowery for falsely testifying that the teen forced her to have sex at knifepoint. She also falsely claimed he threatened to rape and kill her teenage daughter if she spoke about their affair.

“That was complete baloney,” the judge said.

Assistant County Attorney Patricia LaFrance had requested a stiffer sentence: roughly 8-1/2 to 21 years for the four felonies, with two sentences suspended and served concurrently.

When the hearing concluded, LaFrance left the courtroom seemingly angered, and didn’t offer much comment.

Mowery’s attorney, Adam Cook, asked Lynn to consider Mowery incompetent and thus strike the jury verdict.

“My client is not competent,” Cook said. “She’s now off opiates. She’s not okay.”

But Lynn said a doctor had found Mowery competent.

Lynn granted an unusual request in allowing three members of Mowery’s family to walk into the main courtroom area to hug her and offer words of encouragement prior to sentencing.

Mowery’s parents and sister echoed Cook’s claim that she is mentally ill and needs help.

Jamie Manning, her sister, said the divorce of their parents at a young age and abusive relationships had caused Mowery to concoct elaborate stories. She suggested having Mowery serve a home-confinement sentence with an electronic bracelet.

Mowery’s mother, Charlotte Collins, offered similar testimony. But Collins added that in Mowery’s “weakest state, she was taken advantage of.”

But LaFrance dismissed the testimony and said Mowery’s only weakness was lying.

“Someone usually says, ‘I was wrong’ – and saves the victim from testifying, but Robin Mowery lied several times,” she said.

LaFrance added that prosecutors are reviewing Mowery’s testimony for untruths, and could pursue more charges, presumably for perjury.

The teen’s father also addressed Lynn. He said he worried that other parents would face the same news he did in 2006: that Mowery assaulted their children.

The father said the assaults had changed his son. He said he worries his son’s emotional wounds will further surface at an older age.

Mowery was convicted of having sex with the boy on four occasions in April and May 2006. A jury acquitted her on a fifth charge that she initiated sex at a motel.

Mowery will receive 180 days time-served credit on her first sentence. The other three sentences will be suspended pending her good behavior and the following of guidelines for registered sex offenders.

She can no longer have contact with those younger than 16, except with family members. She must also undergo sex offender treatment.

Appeared Here

New Hampshire Runs Out Of Cash To Hold Superior Court Jury Trials

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – The Superior Court system in New Hampshire will take the unusual step of halting jury trials for a month early next year because of a widening state budget crisis.

John Broderick, the state’s chief justice, said suspending trials was essential to avoid layoffs in the judicial system, which has already cut $2.7 million from its budget.

The measure will save about $73,000, the monthly amount spent on stipends for jurors. But the head of an association representing civil trial lawyers said it could have a harsh impact on plaintiffs, many of whom have already waited years for a judgment in their case.

“What are they going to rely on in the interim?” said Ellen Shemitz, executive director of the New Hampshire Association for Justice. “Some of these people have been harmed by the wrongdoing of others, are out of work as a result and are looking to the courts to protect their rights and provide some kind of financial remuneration.”

Officials at the National Center for State Courts said that while court systems across the country had made cuts they were not aware of any others suspending trials. In perhaps the closest parallel, Vermont is closing its district and family courthouses a half day per week for the rest of the fiscal year to save $300,000.

Suspending jury trials to save money is not unheard-of. Vermont stopped holding civil trials for five months in 1990, and New Hampshire effected a one-month suspension in 2001. Other state courts have tried to do it but have been overturned.

The clerks of court in New Hampshire’s largest counties, Hillsborough and Rockingham, said they were rescheduling 179 criminal and civil trials planned for February or March.

New Hampshire is facing a $250 million revenue shortfall this year, and every branch of government is weighing cuts. In addition to suspending trials for a month, which was first reported by The Concord Monitor, the court system is not filling seven judicial vacancies until at least June. It will also delay replacing a Supreme Court justice set to retire in February.

“Cutting one month of jury trials won’t stop the wheel from turning,” Chief Justice Broderick said in a phone interview. “We would rather do that and have that inconvenience for a month than lay staff people off, which would be a perpetual inconvenience.”

Two of the state’s 12 counties will not be affected because they hold jury trials only every other month. Merrimack County, where juries sit longer than in the rest of the state, will go for a month and a half without trials.

Jurors in New Hampshire receive $10 for every half day of duty. The court system is under pressure to make even more cuts, and Chief Justice Broderick said suspending trials for a second month was a possibility.

Don Hall, a vice president of the National Center for State Courts, said that at least 20 state court systems were facing budget deficits and that those in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Minnesota were suffering the most. The Florida system recently reduced its work force by 10 percent, Mr. Hall said.

Ms. Shemitz said the one-month suspension was only the latest in a series of measures that have worsened trial delays in New Hampshire. She heard from one lawyer this week whose four-year-old case was scheduled for trial in August, was postponed until March because of the shortage of judges, and now will not take place until late next year.

She said the state, which does not have an income tax or a sales tax, should reconsider its policy.

“New Hampshire wants to remain competitive,” she said, “but we also need to be real about the fact that we can’t be competitive if we lack essential infrastructure — not just roads and highways, but the courts.”

Asked if taxes were necessary, Chief Justice Broderick said, “I don’t go there.”

Appeared Here

New Hampshire Runs Out Of Cash To Hold Superior Court Jury Trials

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – The Superior Court system in New Hampshire will take the unusual step of halting jury trials for a month early next year because of a widening state budget crisis.

John Broderick, the state’s chief justice, said suspending trials was essential to avoid layoffs in the judicial system, which has already cut $2.7 million from its budget.

The measure will save about $73,000, the monthly amount spent on stipends for jurors. But the head of an association representing civil trial lawyers said it could have a harsh impact on plaintiffs, many of whom have already waited years for a judgment in their case.

“What are they going to rely on in the interim?” said Ellen Shemitz, executive director of the New Hampshire Association for Justice. “Some of these people have been harmed by the wrongdoing of others, are out of work as a result and are looking to the courts to protect their rights and provide some kind of financial remuneration.”

Officials at the National Center for State Courts said that while court systems across the country had made cuts they were not aware of any others suspending trials. In perhaps the closest parallel, Vermont is closing its district and family courthouses a half day per week for the rest of the fiscal year to save $300,000.

Suspending jury trials to save money is not unheard-of. Vermont stopped holding civil trials for five months in 1990, and New Hampshire effected a one-month suspension in 2001. Other state courts have tried to do it but have been overturned.

The clerks of court in New Hampshire’s largest counties, Hillsborough and Rockingham, said they were rescheduling 179 criminal and civil trials planned for February or March.

New Hampshire is facing a $250 million revenue shortfall this year, and every branch of government is weighing cuts. In addition to suspending trials for a month, which was first reported by The Concord Monitor, the court system is not filling seven judicial vacancies until at least June. It will also delay replacing a Supreme Court justice set to retire in February.

“Cutting one month of jury trials won’t stop the wheel from turning,” Chief Justice Broderick said in a phone interview. “We would rather do that and have that inconvenience for a month than lay staff people off, which would be a perpetual inconvenience.”

Two of the state’s 12 counties will not be affected because they hold jury trials only every other month. Merrimack County, where juries sit longer than in the rest of the state, will go for a month and a half without trials.

Jurors in New Hampshire receive $10 for every half day of duty. The court system is under pressure to make even more cuts, and Chief Justice Broderick said suspending trials for a second month was a possibility.

Don Hall, a vice president of the National Center for State Courts, said that at least 20 state court systems were facing budget deficits and that those in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Minnesota were suffering the most. The Florida system recently reduced its work force by 10 percent, Mr. Hall said.

Ms. Shemitz said the one-month suspension was only the latest in a series of measures that have worsened trial delays in New Hampshire. She heard from one lawyer this week whose four-year-old case was scheduled for trial in August, was postponed until March because of the shortage of judges, and now will not take place until late next year.

She said the state, which does not have an income tax or a sales tax, should reconsider its policy.

“New Hampshire wants to remain competitive,” she said, “but we also need to be real about the fact that we can’t be competitive if we lack essential infrastructure — not just roads and highways, but the courts.”

Asked if taxes were necessary, Chief Justice Broderick said, “I don’t go there.”

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New Hampshire State Police Officer Todd Cohen Runs Over Bicyclists, Doesn’t Show Up In Court To Testify Against Driver Involved In Fatal Wreck – Motorist Acquitted

LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A driver was acquitted this week of charges involving a fatal crash when the New Hampshire state trooper who led the investigation was unable to testify.

The prosecutor said testimony from Sgt. Todd Cohen was crucial to the misdemeanor vehicular assault case against Emily Ridley, whose car crashed in Lancaster last summer, killing her friend, Brandon Newton.

Cohen is the trooper who nodded off behind the wheel last week while escorting a wide load and struck two bicyclists in Jefferson. The prosecutor tried unsuccessfully to get the judge to delay the trial because Cohen was unable to testify.

The defense said Cohen’s testimony wouldn’t have changed the verdict, but the prosecutor said the testimony was vital.

Appeared Here

New Hampshire State Police Officer Todd Cohen Runs Over Bicyclists, Doesn’t Show Up In Court To Testify Against Driver Involved In Fatal Wreck – Motorist Acquitted

LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE — A driver was acquitted this week of charges involving a fatal crash when the New Hampshire state trooper who led the investigation was unable to testify.

The prosecutor said testimony from Sgt. Todd Cohen was crucial to the misdemeanor vehicular assault case against Emily Ridley, whose car crashed in Lancaster last summer, killing her friend, Brandon Newton.

Cohen is the trooper who nodded off behind the wheel last week while escorting a wide load and struck two bicyclists in Jefferson. The prosecutor tried unsuccessfully to get the judge to delay the trial because Cohen was unable to testify.

The defense said Cohen’s testimony wouldn’t have changed the verdict, but the prosecutor said the testimony was vital.

Appeared Here

New Hampshire State Police Officer Sgt. Todd Cohen Falls Asleep, Runs Over Man And Son On Bicycles

JEFFERSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Investigators say a New Hampshire state trooper nodded off at the wheel before running into two bicyclists along the road in Jefferson, N.H. this week.

Sgt. Todd Cohen was escorting a wide load on Route 115 on Thursday, when he drifted off the road and hit a father and son from Maine from behind.

He had been leading the truck about 133 miles from the state line in Salem and was headed to Gorham.

Fifty-seven-year-old David Clement and his 25-year-old son, Timothy Clement, are in Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. The hospital said David Clement was in serious condition Friday. Timothy Clement was in satisfactory condition.

Appeared Here

New Hampshire State Police Officer Sgt. Todd Cohen Falls Asleep, Runs Over Man And Son On Bicycles

JEFFERSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Investigators say a New Hampshire state trooper nodded off at the wheel before running into two bicyclists along the road in Jefferson, N.H. this week.

Sgt. Todd Cohen was escorting a wide load on Route 115 on Thursday, when he drifted off the road and hit a father and son from Maine from behind.

He had been leading the truck about 133 miles from the state line in Salem and was headed to Gorham.

Fifty-seven-year-old David Clement and his 25-year-old son, Timothy Clement, are in Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. The hospital said David Clement was in serious condition Friday. Timothy Clement was in satisfactory condition.

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