AG Who Hired Ayotte: "Bothered to the Core"

by: Dean Barker

Sun Oct 24, 2010 at 10:49:23 AM EDT

But Philip McLaughlin, the then-attorney general who first hired Ayotte as a prosecutor in 1998, said in an interview last week that while he thinks Ayotte is a "fine attorney," he was troubled by the e-mails.

"When you get on the attorney general e-mail and have those exchanges, it seems to me to be obvious that you have jeopardized the public's right to believe you do things completely apolitically," McLaughlin said.

"I don't know how any adult could read those e-mails and conclude that there was no political consideration. It bothered me to the core when I read it," McLaughlin added.

Heckuva (Politicized) Job, Kelly

by: Dean Barker

Wed Oct 20, 2010 at 18:37:27 PM EDT

According to state law, the Supreme Court must decide if the death sentence was imposed "under the influence of passion, prejudice or any other arbitrary factor" and whether it "is excessive or disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases," among other issues.

Professor Albert Scherr of the University of New Hampshire School of Law and attorney Andru Volinsky of Bernstein Shur both said the defense could argue Ayotte's e-mail introduces an "arbitrary factor" into the decision to seek the death penalty. Scherr, who is not connected to either campaign, said the defense could ask the state Supreme Court to re-examine whether the punishment was disproportionate compared with other cases or if it was politically motivated.

"If the defense can show that the only reason this was brought as a capital case and other similar cases in the state were not, simply by virtue of the fact that the attorney general's office at the time saw political advantage to bringing this as a capital case, arguably that could impact the decision," Scherr said.

Addison's defenders are looking into it.

Heckuva job, Kelly.  This could be a bigger - and more tragic - fail than losing at the Supreme Court and quietly paying off the winners with $300,000 of state money.

Heckuva Job, Kelly

by: Dean Barker

Sun Oct 17, 2010 at 07:25:11 AM EDT

"Prosecutors are always studiously careful to refrain from making any comment on these cases or their positions on them,'' Volinsky said.

"Now that these e-mails are out in the public domain, I'd be amazed if the public defender's office doesn't try to use them in their appeals in this case.''

This is an epic fail of the highest order regardless of your opinion on capital punishment.  

Kelly Ayotte could end up being responsible for the overturning of a conviction of the murderer of a police officer.

Monitor: Ayotte's Use of Briggs in Ad "Sad and Wrong"

by: Dean Barker

Fri Aug 06, 2010 at 16:22:06 PM EDT

The killing of a police officer, and the imposition of the death penalty, are solemn issues; whether it's appropriate to try to derive political advantage from such a case is a question each of us can answer for ourselves.

Former attorney general Kelly Ayotte's televised campaign ads touting her success in prosecuting Michael Addison for the murder of Manchester police officer Michael Briggs are effective and accurate, but they use the grief of the victim's relatives for political purposes. That's both sad and wrong.

...Ayotte's recent ads are, at best, in poor taste. They say, in effect, "Vote for me because I successfully convinced the state to put a human being to death." Using Briggs's death to help elect a politician does not honor his sacrifice.

I Am Become Death

by: Dean Barker

Sun Oct 11, 2009 at 20:24:32 PM EDT

Will thoughtfulness and restraint be shown by our representatives in the face of such a horrendous crime?

One of the public servants representing Mont Vernon is Bill O'Brien.  His recent thoughts on the assisted suicide bill:

Rep. William O'Brien, R-Mont Vernon, said the bill sets up "death panels" that administer what he called "death doses," and asked Weed whether their use should be limited to "death centers."

So, no.

KUDOS To The House!

by: Ron Tunning

Thu Apr 02, 2009 at 13:12:50 PM EDT

No matter which side of the political aisle you call home, or if your place of comfort is to straddle the aisle, this most recent session of the New Hampshire House of Representatives - the people's legislature - should have left you exhilarated.

Granted, no one is totally satisfied with the legislation passed. Count me as displeased with several outcomes. But I can live with that. And so can you.

AG Ayotte goes to the mat for capital punishment

by: Ed Tracey

Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 12:50:00 PM EDT

  (more after the jump)........

New Hampshire's Barbaric Custom

by: Mike Caulfield

Tue Jan 02, 2007 at 19:24:56 PM EST

CONCORD - Following Saddam Hussein's execution Friday night, there was outrage from some citizens and groups in America and worldwide about the Iraqis' choice of hanging as a means of execution.

Some were quoted in news reports as saying lethal injection would have been more humane; and capital punishment opponents complained that Hussein was put to death, regardless of the means used.

New Hampshire residents opposed to the hanging may not know, however, that the Granite State is one of two states in the country that allows hanging as a method of execution.

It's an odd moment, I think, watching with disgust at the jeering that accompanied Saddam's death, realizing what an ugly thing state execution is, yet knowing that as the year begins New Hampshire is preparing the legal case against someone that we aim to hang.

If you believe Wikipedia, a majority of New Hampshire citizens  oppose the death penalty in any form. Do they still, after the murder of Michael Briggs? I'd hope so. I'd hope the fact that this now matters would make opposition to our barbaric custom more resolute.

So why I am I hearing no one on this? And if we can't demand an end to the death penalty now, when it actually matters, what does our opposition mean?