A New Hampshire father accused of beating his 5-year-old daughter to death and covering up the murder for more than two years was all smiles in court Tuesday as jury selection for his trial took place.
Adam Montgomery pleaded not guilty in 2022 to murdering his daughter Harmony Montgomery and moving her body for months before disposing of it.
According to New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, he is accused of hitting the girl in the head with a closed fist on December 7, 2019, “recklessly causing the death of Harmony Montgomery, who is under the age of 13, under extreme circumstances.” “Indifference to the value of human life.” ”
Jury selection for the Adam Montgomery murder trial began Tuesday morning in a courtroom in Manchester, New Hampshire.
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Adam Montgomery enters the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial in Hillsborough County Superior Court on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, in Manchester, New Hampshire. Montgery is accused of killing his 5-year-old daughter Harmony. (David Lane/Union Leader Pool)
Photos from the trial showed Mr. Montgomery sticking his tongue out and smiling as he was led into the room.
FOX 25 in Boston reported that Judge Amy Messer asked Montgomery before jury selection if he would like to waive his right to wear leg braces and instead be shackled.
“I was surprised this morning that you didn’t want to wear leg braces but wanted to wear shackles,” Messer reportedly told Montgomery.
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Adam Montgomery enters the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial in Hillsborough County Superior Court on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, in Manchester, New Hampshire. (David Lane/Union Leader Pool)
The defendant responded, “That’s right.”
“The shackles may be obvious to the jury,” Messer said. “do you understand?”
Montgomery replied, “I think so.”
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Attorney Adam Montgomery joins attorneys Caroline Smith and James Brooks in the courtroom for jury selection prior to a murder trial in Hillsborough County Superior Court on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, in Manchester, New Hampshire. Waiting for prospective jurors to enter. He murdered his 5-year-old daughter Harmony. (David Lane/Union Leader Pool)
The judge and attorneys for both sides spent hours vetting 120 potential jurors to reduce the number of potential jurors to 27, the department said. That number should be further reduced to 12 plus five alternates before opening statements begin on Wednesday.
About a week before Montgomery was accused of renting a U-Haul truck and abandoning Harmony’s body in an unknown location, he stole 80 pounds of lime, a diamond blade blade and a power grinder from two Home Depot stores. They are contesting evidence that prosecutors claim was purchased. The location is on the outskirts of Boston.
The defense said in court filings that there was no evidence that the lime was an original purchase tied to Mr. Montgomery’s murder.
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Harmony’s father, Adam Montgomery, allegedly hit the girl in the head with his fist on December 7, 2019. (Manchester Police)
Investigators say the Montgomery family was homeless and living in their car at the time of Harmony’s alleged murder, and after the murder, Montgomery kept her daughter’s body in a cooler and duffel bag. It is said that he was doing so. They then moved her between temporary homes and eventually disposed of her.
Kayla Montgomery, Montgomery’s estranged wife and Harmony’s stepmother, told police that her husband believed using lime would help Harmony’s body decompose without being discovered. prosecutors allege in court documents.
Last January, Formella was indicted by a grand jury on charges of second-degree murder.
According to a criminal complaint, Montgomery is accused of killing the girl by punching her in the head multiple times.
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Kayla Montgomery also the disappearance of a girl, That includes allegations that he lied to a grand jury and collected welfare payments on behalf of a missing girl in the months after her death.
Harmony’s body has never been found.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
