New Hampshire Supreme Court Justice Accused of Interfering with Investigation of Husband – NBC Boston

A New Hampshire Supreme Court justice has been indicted for allegedly trying to interfere in a criminal investigation against her husband.

Associate Judge Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi is charged with two felonies and five misdemeanors, Attorney General John Formella announced Wednesday.

Hantz Marconi is accused of interfering with the investigation against her husband, Geno Marconi, prosecutors said.

The judiciary is accused of criminal offenses of attempted undue influence and criminal incitement to undue influence. The offenses she faces include official repression, criminal incitement to official repression, obstruction of government administration and two counts of criminal incitement to abuse of office.

“No one is above the law, and the evidence in this case required investigation and presentation to the grand jury,” Formella said in a statement. “The decision to impeach a sitting New Hampshire Supreme Court justice was not made lightly and comes after careful and thoughtful consideration. I hope the public will be reassured that all persons, including public servants, will be treated equally under the law.”

Longtime head of the New Hampshire Port Authority Geno Marconi has been on paid administrative leave since April, the Portsmouth Herald reported, noting that officials did not provide a reason.

The Boston Globe reports that Gov. Jeanne Shaheen nominated Marconi for the post in 2002. Four years later, prosecutors investigated his use of racial slurs about someone of Middle Eastern descent. Marconi apologized to the New Hampshire Executive Council, which reappointed him for another term. Shaheen’s successor, Gov. John Lynch, did not veto the decision.

According to a copy of the indictment published by the Globe, Hantz Marconi told Gov. Chris Sununu that the investigation against her husband “was the result of personal, petty and/or political bias; that there was no basis for the allegations against her or subsequent investigations” against Geno Marconi; and/or that the Geno Marconi investigation had to be completed quickly because she was withdrawn from important cases that were pending or soon to be before the New Hampshire Supreme Court.” She is also accused of soliciting the governor to do so , “abusing one’s position.”

The public prosecutor’s office did not provide any information about the allegations against Marconi.

“The investigation into this matter has been completed,” said a press release from the attorney general. “No other individuals were the targets of this investigation and the investigation did not reveal any wrongdoing by any other individual.”

Formella’s office noted that the criminal charges against Hantz Marconi are each punishable by a sentence of three and a half to seven years in state prison and a fine of up to $4,000, while each misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year of home corrections and a fine of up to $2,000.