As the North Country Turns: Still Trying to Stay Out of Jail!

Having failed to avoid a conviction for things he admitted to doing and failed to prevent a court from insisting she serve time for that, former State Senator Jeff Woodburn has gone back to the well. You can’t put me in jail; I’m old, he says. I got counseling. I’m a good citizen (former public servant involved in his community). My family is from here, and I was raised here.

He argues that the punishment doesn’t fit the crime, which reminds me that the actual crime may be the cost to taxpayers of Mr. Woodburn’s court delays for indiscretions he acknowledged years ago, but the State is still intent on seeing Woody locked up. It makes me wonder if he did one of “New Hampshire’s Five Families” wrong. Jeff is obviously not an insider, or they’d have concocted some reason to drop the charges years ago. InsteadState State is committed to seeing it through, and since he admitted guilt, a jury found him guilty, and a judge has cleared the runway for his short stint in stir, they are intent on seeing Jeff into Prison Orange, or whatever they wear around here.

In his pleading, the defendant objects to the State’s request that this court impose the sentences handed down on July 13, 2021 for charge IDs 1580451C and 1580455C. The defendant’s objection should be summarily denied, as the defendant has waived any and all rights to appeal or request modification of the previously imposed sentence. Furthermore, the defendant has offered no valid basis upon which this court could grant his request.

The State reminds the court that Woodburn has already played this card. The court denied his request for a new trial and an amended sentence. Because of that, the State insists this is, in fact, a motion of reconsideration of that ruling, which, by law, should have been filed ten days later. He’s a year too late and repeated trips to court since have not included any such request. Woodburn also ignores that at the time of sentencing, the court considered all the arguments he makes now, along with several other points, fifteen in all, leading us to one conclusion. The things Mr. Woodburn claims should keep him out of jail are why he’s only getting thirty days.

I wonder if the court appreciates the reminder.