Parents of Harmony's brother fight to speak at Adam Montgomery sentencing
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May 8—The adoptive fathers of Harmony Montgomery's brother are fighting for a chance to offer a complete victim-impact statement at the sentencing of convicted killer Adam Montgomery, whom they call a "monster" for brutally beating his 5-year-old daughter to death in 2019.
Blair Miller and Johnathon Bobbitt-Miller say the state is denying their son Jamison's right to have them speak on his behalf at Thursday afternoon's hearing.
Instead, Miller said, the state wants them to read a statement from their 7-year-old son, who does not know the details of the murder.
"We will always fight for both Jamison and Harmony," Miller wrote in a statement. "Harmony was silenced forever in New Hampshire. Now they want to silence Jamison by limiting our ability to speak on his behalf. A child victim should not be treated with such cruelty."
The state Department of Justice cited a statute saying statements need to be a "reflection of the victim's words or other expressions of their feelings." The department offered to let Jamison share his thoughts either in writing or video to be read aloud during the hearing.
The department said the fathers also wish to offer their own statement, which isn't permitted by the statute.
"In accordance with their request, we are bringing the materials they wish to read to the Court's attention prior to the hearing, so the Court may determine how it will review their materials," the statement says.
Miller says state law allows a victim to designate a representative to write or speak on the victim's behalf. The two testified in Massachusetts on the formation of a "Harmony Commission" to study and make recommendations related to the welfare and best interests of children in protection cases.
"The whole purpose of a statute like that is to have someone speak and represent a person not of an age able to speak or has a disability," said retired Juvenile Court Judge Carol Erskine, who finalized Jamison's adoption in November 2019. "I'm just stunned by taking a position that they can't be in their court and tell Adam Montgomery just how the murder of Harmony impacted Jamison's life."
The couple says Jamison often speaks of Harmony and now says she is in heaven.
"Jamison is only 7 years old and only knows that Harmony has died. He has no idea of the circumstances of Harmony's death," Erskine said.
Looking at 56 years
Prosecutors want Adam Montgomery sentenced to 56 years to life in prison for convictions of second-degree murder, second-degree assault, falsifying physical evidence, tampering with witnesses and abuse of a corpse.
During the trial, Kayla Montgomery, Adam's wife and Harmony's stepmother, testified that Adam Montgomery repeatedly struck the little girl after a bathroom accident in the car they were living in on Dec. 7, 2019. The Montgomerys' two young sons also were in the car.
"The murder was not a quick, impulsive act," prosecutors wrote. "Each time the defendant struck Harmony, he had an opportunity to stop."
The Millers have been outspoken on social media for years about the impact the murder has had on their family.
"As Jamison's 2 adopted Dads, we must be his voice," Bobbitt-Miller wrote on X. "It's unbelievable a 'court rule' will not let us tell Adam the pain he has caused our son."
Jamison is Harmony's half brother with the same mother, Crystal Sorey.
Sorey, who testified at trial, is expected to offer an impact statement Thursday.
Adam Montgomery refused to attend the majority of his trial, but has been ordered by Judge Amy Messer to appear in person Thursday afternoon.
