Lawyers for both sides meet in case of New Hampshire's only death row inmate
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Lawyers involved with the case of the only person on death row in New Hampshire are working on details of what comes next in Michael Addison’s appeal process.
This came after the state Legislature voted to repeal the death penalty several months ago.
A closed-door status conference was held before a judge Monday in Concord.
While the hearing was mostly for scheduling, one legal analyst said the recent repeal of the death penalty could play a role as the case progresses.
“The Addison case has now become a one-off case. There’s only one person on death row in New Hampshire. It’s the last person ever on death row in New Hampshire,” Dr. Buzz Scherr of the University of New Hampshire School of Law said.
Addison has been on death row for almost 11 years for the murder of Manchester police officer Michael Briggs.
Scherr said on a practical level, Addison’s case is exempt from the repeal and its legal status should not change. But the Legislature’s move may have an indirect impact.
“Whatever judges the various versions of the case are going to get in front of from now on in the back of their minds, at least unconsciously, will be this is the last person in New Hampshire,” Scherr said.
Prosecutors said they do not expect any future court action at least at the superior court level for at least another year.
https://www.wmur.com/article/lawyers...nmate/29835315
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