Last week, a judge refused Adam Montgomery's request to not attend his sentencing hearing next month after being convicted of killing a child.
A jury determined in March that Montgomery had beaten his daughter, Harmony Montgomery, to death because she had soiled herself. as CrimeOnline reported. He was absent for most of the trial, but the jury found him unanimously guilty of second-degree murder, second-degree assault, falsifying evidence, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with witnesses after deliberating for about six hours.
Earlier in the month, his lawyer requested that Montgomery be excused from the sentencing hearing, and the state disagreed. WMTW reported.
In her ruling, Judge Amy Messer noted that Montgomery's only reason for missing the sentencing was his claim of innocence.
“However, the defendant has been found guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, by a jury as to those charges,” she wrote. “He asserts no other factual basis for excusal.”
Under New Hampshire law, a defendant must be present when the victim or the victim’s next of kin speaks in court, and Harmony’s relatives plan to give victim impact statements.
The sentencing is set for May 9.
[Featured image: Harmony Montgomery and Adam Montgomery/police handout]