FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org
MAY 2 MOTION
The New England First Amendment Coalition and Union Leader Corp. recently intervened in a New Hampshire criminal court case to demand the release of records currently sealed.
The defendant in the high-profile case — State of New Hampshire v. Adam Montgomery — is accused of killing his five-year-old daughter, Harmony Montgomery. WMUR in March filed a motion to unseal the Probable Cause Statement which describes the state’s justification for charging the defendant. A decision to unseal that document is pending.
There is no compelling interest justifying the sealing of that record, explained NEFAC in a May 2 motion to intervene in the case.
“The processes of the Court and the role of the County Attorney’s Office in cases of this nature are matters of grave public interest and concern,” according to the coalition’s motion. “Nowhere within the field of governmental accountability is the light of public scrutiny more critical than when it shines within our courts of law.”
NEFAC is the region’s leading advocate for the First Amendment and the public’s right to know about government. The coalition intervenes in cases involving First Amendment freedoms and the public’s right to know about government. All coalition briefs, advocacy letters and statements can be found here.
NEFAC was formed in 2006 to advance and protect the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment, including the principle of the public’s right to know. We’re a broad-based organization of people who believe in the power of an informed democratic society. Our members include lawyers, journalists, historians, academics and private citizens.
Our coalition is funded through contributions made by those who value the First Amendment and who strive to keep government accountable. Please make a donation here.
Leadership Circle donors include the Rhode Island Foundation, The Boston Globe, Paul and Ann Sagan, and the Robertson Foundation. Major Supporters include Boston University, Hearst Connecticut Media Group, the Academy of New England Journalists, the Society of Professional Journalists Foundation, Genie Gannett for the First Amendment Museum, Linda Pizzuti Henry, the Champa Charitable Foundation Fund and Connecticut Public.