Judge delivers KO to former boxer's early-release bid

LACONIA — Richard Edson, the former professional boxer, serving time for pummeling a Belmont police officer during a traffic stop in 2003 will not be leaving prison anytime soon.

Superior Court Judge Larry Smukler on Thursday denied Edson’s request to have the 6½ years remaining on his minimum sentence suspended.

Smukler said Edson’s lengthy criminal history, including two assaults on police officers, weighed heavily in his decision.

“His crimes were consistent with his character as reflected in his criminal history,” the judge wrote.

Noting that at his sentencing in 2004 Edson told the court that his actions on March 13, 2003, were out of character — “It wasn’t me.” — and “I would never hit a woman,” Smukler said, “The defendant’s statements indicate that the rehabilitative process is not yet complete.”

Edson is serving a 22½- to 65-year prison sentence for second-degree assault, DWI, and driving after having been certified a habitual offender.

“I’m ecstatic,” said Judith Estes, the officer Edson severely beat as she was attempting to arrest him for DWI. “He needs to serve his minimum sentence.”

Estes left the Belmont Police Department several years ago, and is now a detective with the Belknap County Sheriff’s Department.

“I’m happy for the victims in this case,” said Assistant Belknap County Attorney Keith Cormier. “This was vicious and violent behavior toward a law enforcement officer and the judge saw it for what it was and upheld the sentence.”

A call to Edson’s attorney, Colin Sandiford, seeking comment was not immediately returned Thursday afternoon.

Smukler’s ruling came one day after a hearing during which Sandiford urged the court to suspend the remainder of his minimum sentence. In making his case, Sandiford told the court that Edson has been a model prisoner who has availed himself of many self-help treatment and counseling programs and who has become seriously religious.

Smukler acknowledged Edson’s good behavior while in prison but said, “While the court is willing to accept in part the defendant’s representations of personal change and growth, it is not willing to swallow them whole.”

“As is the case here,” the judge said, “Mr. Edson was a ‘model inmate’ when he served the (the three- to six-year sentence) for his first assault on a police officer.”

In that earlier case Edson pleaded guilty to running a motorcycle over then-Laconia Police Officer Thomas Drouin in 1986. The injuries which Drouin received in that incident ended his career in law enforcement.