Attorney General bemoans lack of law to put woman in jail for taping a public official.
2000-08-20 15:26:47 A New Hampshire woman got away with taping a public official and was even allowed to present the tape as evidence in court, according to a ruling by New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General N. William Delker.
Delker called the woman’s actions “reprehensible. All citizens should fully trust their public officials. We never lie, even in court.” However, he continued that, “unfortunately, there is no law to put this woman in jail. I recommend that the state legislature take this up immediately.”
The woman is attempting to restore her children to her custody from the New Hampshire Division of Children, Youth, and Family, and said that her attorney had encouraged her to tape the Division’s clerk. The woman’s attorney, Paula Werme, says that she often encourages her clients to tape officials of the Division, “because the Division lies and there’s no other way to prove it.”
Other public officials were incredulous. “The ramifications of this ruling are astounding,” said Portsmouth Police Prosecutor Robert Ducharme. “Police and other public officials have long enjoyed a constitutional right to lie and then deny those lies in court. But such a right means nothing if civilians are allowed to tape public officials willy-nilly.”
Sam Lee
I found your site doing a search on my own name. I laughed my head off at your story on NH taping from August, 2000. Portsmouth prosecutor Bob Ducharme left for “better opportunity” in the private sector shortly after the taping story broke in NH. And NH Atty General Delker really did say that my behavior was “reprehensible.” I love being reprehensible!
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I was saddened to learn of your beheading following your reading of the article. However, the Walkerville Weekly Reader cannot bear any responsibility for your laughing your head off. We merely report the news. Any legal responsibility for the loss of your head must be born by the public officials whose actions were so ludicrous as to cause your head to laugh off.