Concord officers granted immunity in 2009 wrongful arrest

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - The New Hampshire Supreme Court has granted immunity to two Concord police officers who wrongfully arrested a man in 2009 under a statute later deemed unconstitutional.

The Concord Monitor reports (https://bit.ly/1QYSQZ7 ) officers Walter Carroll and Eric Pichler are now immune from all legal responsibility relating to John Farrelly’s February 2009 arrest on harassment charges.

Farrelly was arrested after sending a series of aggressive emails to an ex-girlfriend. The officers apprehended Farrelly without a warrant because his last message had been sent within 12 hours, a law no longer on the books.

Currently officers are only allowed to arrest a suspect without a warrant if they pose a credible threat.

The court ruled that Carroll and Pichler are protected from all legal proceedings that do not include claims of malicious intent.

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Information from: Concord Monitor, https://www.cmonitor.com