CONCORD, N.H. (Court TV) — A panel of justices is weighing whether to grant Adam Montgomery’s request for a new murder trial following arguments on Wednesday.
Last year, a jury convicted Adam of all charges in the death of his daughter, 5-year-old Harmony Montgomery. He was sentenced to 56 years to life in prison.
Adam Montgomery listens during his sentencing hearing at Hillsborough Superior Court, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool)
Earlier this year, Adam filed an appeal asking for a new trial. He cited three errors with his trial: the court’s failure to sever assault and murder charges, evidence of past abuse that was admitted, and video evidence of Adam’s interaction with police in 2021 was shown to the jury.
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At Wednesday’s hearing, Montgomery’s attorney argued that combining the assault and murder charges prejudiced the jury against the defendant, and that the jury should not have heard evidence of prior assaults because the evidence was not intrinsic to the murder case.
The State pushed back against Montgomery’s arguments, saying the murder “did not happen in a vacuum” and that evidence of prior assaults gave the jury needed context to understand the case.
Separate from his murder case, Adam also unsuccessfully sought to appeal convictions in his weapons theft case. In 2023, he was convicted of eight charges and sentenced to 30-60 years in prison for being an armed career criminal. In his appeal, Adam argued that testimony from the victim’s wife was wrongly admitted, “over his hearsay objection, that she had heard rumors that he had taken the firearms.”
The New Hampshire Supreme Court ultimately denied that appeal in a ruling dated Aug. 27, 2025, stating, “Viewed in the totality of the circumstances, we conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the challenged testimony did not affect the verdict.”
The justices said the matter was under consideration, but offered no timeline for when they may deliver a ruling.
