CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire’s criminal defense lawyers and the chief of police in its largest city want the Executive Council to reconsider a public defender’s nomination to be a judge on the Superior Court.
Gov. Maggie Hassan nominated two judges last month, including Dorothy Graham, the managing attorney for the Manchester office of the New Hampshire Public Defender.
Three Republican councilors on the five member council voted against Graham last week, noting that she had defended sex offenders and that most of her experience was as a public defender.
New Hampshire Public Radio reports (https://bit.ly/1MAmhxv ) that Manchester Police Chief Enoch Willard supports Graham, saying her job was to defend her clients, no matter the offense. Alan Cronheim, president of the state Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, says defense lawyers have an ethical duty to provide counsel to all defendants.
___
Information from: WEVO-FM, https://www.nhpr.org/
Please read our comment policy before commenting.