New Hampshire Supreme Court Judge Indicted for Allegedly Interfering with Husband’s Investigation

Local news

State Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi was indicted by a Merrimack County grand jury on two felonies and five misdemeanors.

By STEVE LeBLANC, Associated Press

October 17, 2024 | 8:40 am

A New Hampshire Supreme Court judge has been indicted for allegedly trying to interfere with a criminal investigation into her husband, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella announced Wednesday.

State Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi was indicted by a Merrimack County grand jury on two felonies and five misdemeanors, Formella said in a statement. Marconi has been on administrative leave since July.

Marconi is charged with two Class B felonies: one count of attempted undue influence and one count of attempted undue influence.

Marconi is also charged with five Class A felonies: two counts of criminal solicitation of abuse of position, one count of criminal solicitation of official oppression, one count of official oppression and one count of obstructing government administration.

“No one is above the law, and the evidence in this case required investigation and presentation to the grand jury,” Formella said.

“The decision to indict a sitting New Hampshire Supreme Court justice was not taken lightly and comes after careful and thoughtful deliberation. I hope the public will be assured that all individuals, including government officials, are treated equally under the law,” he added.

Lawyers for Marconi – Richard Guerriero, Jonathan Kotlier and Oliver Bloom – said she is innocent and has not broken any law or regulation.

“We will fight the charges to the fullest extent permitted by law, beginning with motions to dismiss the case, which we expect to file shortly,” they said in a statement. “We intend to fight these unlawful allegations in court, where the fight should take place, and not in the media.”

One indictment alleged that Marconi told Gov. Chris Sununu that an investigation into her husband was the result of “personal petty and/or political bias; that there was no basis for the accusations against or subsequent investigation of Geno Marconi; and/or that the investigation into Geno Marconi had to be concluded quickly because she had been excluded from important cases pending before the court.

Marconi was also accused of soliciting Sununu “to improperly influence a member and/or members of the New Hampshire Department of Justice with respect to an investigation.”

Geno Marconi is director of the New Hampshire Division of Ports and Harbors. A spokesperson for Formella’s office said the criminal investigation into Geno Marconi is a separate matter and remains open and ongoing.

There was no immediate response to an email sent to a Sununu assistant for comment.

Class B felonies are punishable by up to 3 1/2 to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $4,000. Class A felonies are punishable by up to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $2,000.

The investigation is complete, according to Formella, who said no other individuals were targeted and the investigation revealed no wrongdoing by anyone else.