A New Hampshire Supreme Court Justice has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly trying to interfere in an open investigation of her husband.
All the charges relate to allegations that she attempted to interfere with a criminal investigation on her husband, Geno Marconi.
“The decision to charge a sitting Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court was not made lightly, and it comes after careful and thoughtful deliberation,” Formella said.
“No person is above the law, and the evidence in this case required investigation and presentation to the grand jury.”
According to the prosecutors, Hantz Marconi has been charged with two Class B felonies; attempting to commit improper influence, and criminal solicitation of improper influence.
She is also charged with five Class A misdemeanors; two counts of criminal solicitation of misuse of position, and one count each of criminal solicitation of official oppression, official oppression, and obstructing government administration.
She allegedly told the governor that the investigation was the result of “personal, petty and/or political biases.” She also allegedly said to Sununu that the investigation into her husband “needed to wrap up quickly because she was recused from important cases pending or imminently pending before the New Hampshire Supreme Court.”
A conviction for a Class B felony is punishable by three to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $4,000. A Class A misdemeanor carries a sentence of up to 12 months behind bars and a fine of up to $2,000.
At this stage, the state Department of Justice said the investigation is complete and no one else has been accused of wrongdoing.
The prosecutors also said that “the charges in these indictments are only allegations, and Justice Hantz Marconi is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
Hantz Marconi has been on paid leave from the Supreme Court since July. Her husband has been on leave since April and is the subject of an investigation by Attorney General John Formella. The exact nature of the investigation has not been shared publicly, and Geno Marconi has not been charged with any crime.
Attorneys for Hantz Marconi have said their client is innocent and hasn’t violated any rules or laws. They plan to push for the charges to be dismissed, according to a court filing.
“We will fight the charges to the fullest extent permitted by the law, starting with motions to dismiss the case which we anticipate filing soon,” the attorneys stated. “We intend to fight these wrongful accusations in court, where the fight should occur, and not in the media.”
The Epoch Times contacted the New Hampshire Department of Justice and Hantz Marconi for comment but received no replies by press time.
