Defense lawyers for missing Harmony Montgomery’s father, Adam Montgomery, are trying to throw out two police interviews after alleging the officers ignored the defendant when he refused to talk, and pushed him to reveal information.
In court filings this week, New Hampshire defense attorney Caroline Smith said that officers “pressed and badgered Montgomery” to speak to them during two different incidents, the Union Leader reports. The first incident happened on News Year’s Eve after Harmony was reported missing. Police then questioned Montgomery several days later on January 4.
“Now’s your chance, man, defend your(self),” one of the officers reportedly said.
Adam Montgomery was subsequently arrested and charged with assault, child endangerment, and interference with custody after a family member alleged that he witnessed Adam striking Harmony.
Police spoke to Adam’s brother, Michael, who said that Adam hit Harmony and gave her a black eye. Police then reached out to Adam Montgomery’s cousin, Kevin, who witnessed the alleged incident.
“I bashed her around this house,” Adam Montgomery said, according to Kevin.
Kevin told investigators that Adam was upset at Harmony when her infant brother started crying because he told her to keep an eye on him. In anger, Adam allegedly spanked Harmony, made her scrub a toilet with a toothbrush, and forced her to stand in the corner for hours.
Although police announced this year that they believe Harmony was murdered, no one has been charged with her disappearance and death.
In April, Adam Montgomery was charged with felony theft and weapon possession. The charges, according to police, are not related to Harmony’s case.
Now, Montgomery’s defense lawyers are pushing the judge to suppress numerous statements made by the defendant that could potentially harm his case. It’s unclear what the reported incriminating statements are, but Smith asserted that Montgomery was refused his right to remain silent.
“When Montgomery explained that he had left Harmony with her mother around Thanksgiving, 2019 because they were living in a car, Det. Dunleavy confronted him with prior statements the detective interpreted as inconsistent.”
Smith is also pushing to suppress any information found in Adam Montgomery’s Tracfone, which was taken by police on December 31.
In June, the FBI, Manchester police, the U.S. Marshals Office, and the state attorney general’s office arrived last week at the Manchester home, where Harmony’s father, Adam Montgomery, and his wife Kayla Montgomery lived with Harmony before she vanished.
The Manchester Fire Department set up an incident tent, while the city’s Department of Public Works dropped a camera into a sewer pipe while FBI agents watched the camera views from the utility truck.
Investigators were seen hauling a large refrigerator, wrapped in black plastic, out of the apartment, along with other items that were wrapped in brown paper.
Harmony’s remains have not been located.
Jury selection for Montgomery’s theft and weapons charges has been set for November 7. A status conference for charges related to Harmony will take place on October 27.
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[Feature Photo: Harmony Montgomery/Handout]
