Bail Revoked For Kayla Montgomery After Third Arrest
MANCHESTER, NH - Kayla Montgomery was led into Hillsborough County Superior Court in handcuffs, wearing orange jail clothing, and sat next to her defense attorney, Paul Garrity.
Garrity and Montgomery had a short conversation before the Honorable Judge Amy Messer called the court to order.
Montgomery was arrested Friday for failure to appear and stood as NH Senior Assistant Attorney General Jesse O’Neill asked the judge to hold Montgomery without bail.
Attorney Garrity said that his client agreed to be held without bail, but may ask for a future bail hearing.
The court proceedings took less than five minutes, and at this time Montgomery is scheduled to appear for a dispositional hearing on October 26th, the same hearing she failed to show up to last week.
Kayla Montgomery is the Step Mother of Harmony Montgomery who was first reported missing in December 2019 and is presumed dead according to investigators. The charges Kayla Montgomery faces are not directly connected to the investigation of the death of Harmony.
A large group of media from New Hampshire and Boston was at the courthouse and after the courtroom appearance, Assistant Attorney General O’Neill fielded questions from the media about the charges and court proceedings.
O’Neill said the state filed paperwork for noncompliance with bail conditions, specifically that Montgomery remains drug-free, and enter a substance abuse program. The state says that Montgomery was not complying with either of those stipulations and a hearing was scheduled for Thursday that she did not appear for. At the time of Thursday’s hearing, Attorney Garrity said he spoke to Montgomery and she was on the way to the court but didn’t show up.
O’Neill went on to say that when Montgomery was arrested Friday that she was exhibiting signs of intoxication from apparent drug use, and admitted to using drugs to the arresting officers. A third party told authorities that Montgomery had recently overdosed but the state said they could not verify that.
“This is human suffering and the state wants anyone suffering to see steps towards recovery. She was ordered to take steps and didn’t, and incarceration is more controlled.”
When asked if Montgomery was a “central figure” in the Harmony Montgomery case, O’Neill said no central figures have ever been identified. “She was Adam’s wife, and still is Adam’s wife is part of the investigation.” He said the investigation is progressing and is much further than when it began in December. “We have a better idea of what happened since beginning the investigation,”
Attorney Garrity came in front of about a dozen members of the media to answer questions. Garrity said on several occasions “I can’t go into that” citing client, and attorney confidentiality. When asked if Montgomery could get proper treatment at the Valley Street Jail, Garrity said they have a long-term program and it is possible they will seek other options.
He said that as things progress he may seek a bail hearing before the next court date of October 26th but was unsure.
©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news
