NH- NH bill tougher on those who lie about murders

CONCORD, N.H.—The New Hampshire Senate sent the governor a bill Wednesday that holds people accountable indefinitely for lying about murders.

The bill would remove any time limit on when people can be prosecuted for giving false information about a murder. It would apply to four misdemeanor crimes, which now carry a one-year limit on prosecutions, and to three felonies that have a six-year limit.

New Hampshire has no statute of limitations on murder.

The Senate passed the bill unanimously without debate.

Rep. Renny Cushing, a Hampton Democrat who sponsored the bill, said the measure was prompted by the deaths of Janet Dow of Thornton and her stepson, Stephen, whose bodies were found in their burned car in December 1982.

Investigators at the time accepted an explanation from Janet's husband, Richard, a local police officer and former state trooper, that the two had sped away from their home and crashed, igniting an open container of gasoline the son had placed in the car.

A decade later, authorities discredited Richard Dow's account, saying they believed the Dows were murdered and the accident set up. Richard Dow was the target of the investigation, but the attorney general's office said it did not have enough evidence to win a conviction.

Cushing said Tuesday his bill would have given authorities another tool.

"It would have helped because Dick Dow gave false information to law enforcement officers about what took place the day his wife and stepson were murdered," he said. "When police subsequently uncovered the fact it was a homicide, instead of an accident, Dick Dow could not be prosecuted for what were obvious false statements made to law enforcement."

"This would make sure people are put on notice, that if a police officer comes and asks you a question now and you give him false information, if 8 years from now, they find out the truth and find out you gave false information, then you'll be held accountable," Cushing said. ..News Source.. by David Tirrell-Wysocki