Harmony Montgomery

Parents of Harmony Montgomery's half-brother fight to make victim impact statement at killer's sentencing

When Adam Montgomery is sentenced in the killing of his daughter, Harmony Montgomery, the adoptive fathers of her half-brother say they deserve the opportunity to tell him how the murder has affected 7-year-old Jamison

NBC Universal, Inc.

Thursday is sentencing day for Adam Montgomery, the New Hampshire man convicted of killing his daughter.

The disappearance of Harmony Montgomery made national headlines.

WATCH ANYTIME FOR FREE

icon

>Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are.

The two fathers of Harmony's half-brother, Jamison, are raising red flags about Thursday's hearing.

Jamison's adoptive parents, Johnathon and Blair, say they deserve to be among the family members making a victim impact statement.

"It's important we look Adam Montgomery in the eye and tell him what he's done to Jamison," said Johnathon Bobbitt-Miller.

Jamison's dads have been told that they can make a statement at the sentencing hearing, but only if they use Jamison's words, which they say would be much too traumatic for their son.

"What 7-year-old can walk into a courtroom and articulate the pain Adam caused?" asked Johnathon. "Jamison knows Harmony passed away, he knows someone hurt her, and didn't take care of her, but he doesn't know these graphic details, and quite frankly, he shouldn't."

Retired Massachusetts juvenile court judge Carol Erskine, who handled Jamison's adoption, says it would be highly inappropriate to allow Jamison to address a convicted killer, or to have him write a statement.

"It seems obvious to me a 7-year-old can't stand up in court and talk about the devastation and sadness that he feels over the death of a sibling," said Erskine.

The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office told NBC10 Boston that Jamison's parents, by state law, are only allowed to make a statement that's "a reflection of the victim's words or other expression of their feelings," and they are not allowed to read their own statement.

"Our son will forever have a void in his heart," said Johnathon Bobbitt-Miller. "He will forever miss his sister, he will forever question why was I given a safe family and why was she given to a monster."

The boy's parents will be given a chance to make their case to the judge on Thursday before the sentencing hearing gets underway, in a last-ditch effort to show the judge they be allowed to speak.

Contact Us