Lawmaker seeks magistrate's resignation after releasing Berlin man who murdered estranged wife
Berlin rep seeks resignation from court magistrate over bail for man who murdered his wife
State Rep. Lori Korzen, R-Berlin and center, called for the resignation of Court Magistrate Stephanie Johnson over the bail granted to Michael Gleason Jr. two months before he murdered his estranged wife, Marisol Fuentes, and shot himself to death. Pictured here with Koren are former Rep. Brian Valerino, left, who is now warden of the state medium security prison in Berlin and Peter Morency, the former Berlin police chief who serves with Korzen in the New Hampshire House.
First term state Rep. Lori Korzen, R-Berlin, released the letter she sent to Court Magistrate Stephanie Johnson as the fallout continues over the tragic death of restaurant worker Marisol Fuentes.
'The decision to set Mr. Gleason's bail at just $5,000 despite clear warning signs and the severity of the charges he faced, has had devastating consequences for Marisol, her family and our entire community,' Rep. Korzen wrote.
'The bail system exists to balance the rights of the accused with the imperative of public safety. In this instance, I believe that balance was not achieved, and the result was a preventable tragedy.'
Fuentes took out the criminal complaint against Gleason, also accusing him of trying to steal thousands of dollars she had saved to start her own business.
Both were found on Sunday morning following a murder-suicide inside the La Casita Mexican Restaurant where Fuentes worked.
Upon granting bail, Johnson had ordered Gleason to have no contact with Fuentes and to possess no firearms.
She issued the ruling under an existing, more permissive bail law that gets much tougher when a bail reform bill (HB 592) Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed kicks in on Sept. 21.
Local rep seeks court magistrate's resignation over bail decision
State Rep. Lori Korzen, R-Berlin, is calling upon Court Magistrate Stephanie Johnson, center, to resign for releasing on $5,000 bail Michael Gleason Jr. two months before he shot his estranged wife to death and killed himself. In this picture from left to right, Jaye Duncan, Johnson and Frank Weeks took the oath of office last December for five-year terms as full-time magistrates created under a 2023 bail reform law. Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed last spring an even tougher bail law that as of this September will get rid of the magistrate positions and their role in holding bail hearings.
The new bail law will lower the threshold that judges use in deciding to hold an offender without bail pending trial.
Jaye Duncan, Frank Weeks and Johnson were sworn in as full-time magistrates last December to five-year terms.
The bail reform measure also eliminates magistrates and the budget to pay them, requiring in the future that only judges take part in holding court hearings required prior to any decision on bail following an arrest on one of a series of violent crimes.
Some legislative budget writers believe court administrators may have to find other work for magistrates to do other than bail hearings given they have five-year assignments.
'I recognize the immense pressures and complexities that come with your role,' Korzen concluded. 'However, the gravity of this oversight cannot be ignored. Accountability is essential for restoring public confidence in our legal system and for ensuring that such a heartbreaking event is never repeated.'
klandrigan@unionleader.com
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