Judge Rejects Family's Bid To Halt Release Of Fatal NH Shooting Videos
HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) — The New Hampshire Supreme Court has denied a bid by family members to postpone release of police videos capturing the fatal shooting of an armed man in July.
The court denied the emergency motion filed by the ex-wife of Hagan Esty-Lennon, who is the mother of his two children
The Attorney General's office is slated to release redacted videos and audio of the July 6 shooting in Bath on Friday. The judge ordered prosecutors to edit out some of the more graphic moments of the fatal encounter in granting the petition by media outlets to release the police video and audio of the shooting.
Attorney Diane Puckhaber, who represents Lisa Esty-Lennon, says her client was trying to protect her children — ages 7 and 9 — and is "devastated" by court's decision.
"It's a very sad day for Lisa and her children," Puckhaber said. "It was our position there would be no harm in delaying but substantial harm if it's released."
Puckhaber said Friday's release of the video coincides with what would have been Esty-Lennon's 43rd birthday.
The attorney general's office, after reviewing the videotapes, had deemed the shooting to be justified; Esty-Lennon had lunged at the Haverhill officers with a knife.
Immediately before his encounter with the police, the 42-year-old Canterbury man was involved in a car accident and had a self-inflicted knife wound to the chest when he left the scene of the accident, the attorney general's office reported. Bystanders summoned police to assist him.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Susan Morrell said Thursday she has no comment on the Supreme Court's order or the imminent release of the videos.
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