Robert McPhee: Question about prolonged pretrial detention in this state

To The Daily Sun,

How long is too long to jail someone who hasn’t been convicted?

My son has been in a New Hampshire county jail since Sept. 2 facing misdemeanor charges. He has not been convicted of a crime.

His public defender has told him he is expected to remain incarcerated until his next hearing on Oct. 27. If that happens, he will have spent 56 days in jail before his next scheduled hearing.

How long can someone facing misdemeanor charges remain behind bars before receiving a meaningful opportunity to challenge his continued detention?

The consequences are already enormous. My son has lost his job and income, fallen behind on bills and child support, and been separated from his children. All of this is happening before a conviction.

His case will ultimately be decided in court. But the larger question belongs to the public.

How does New Hampshire ensure that people who have not been convicted are not left in jail for weeks or months without meaningful judicial review of why they remain there?

That is a question worth investigating.

Robert McPhee

Meredith