Murder of Michael Briggs

[2][3] New Hampshire prosecutors sought the death penalty for Michael Addison, since killing the police officer qualified the crime as a capital murder.

[4] A string of crimes that began a week earlier and culminated with the shooting of Officer Briggs on October 16, 2006 resulted in the arrest and questioning of two more people connected with Addison.

In January 2007, the Manchester Police Department retired Michael Briggs' badge number in honor of the fallen officer.

Michael Briggs (May 2, 1971 – October 17, 2006) was born in Epsom, New Hampshire, and served in the United States Marines from 1991 to 1995 after graduating from Pembroke Academy in 1990.

[10] In March 2003, Addison received first aid from Briggs after a shooting incident, assistance which may have saved the young man's life.

In October 2006, Williams was given a deal for a shortened sentence contingent upon his testifying for the prosecution in the Officer Briggs murder case.

[12] Addison pleaded guilty to criminal restraint of Brian St. Peter in the dispute over drug money, a misdemeanor; he was sentenced to six months in the Rockingham County House of Corrections.

[13] According to court records, Addison was convicted of participating with Antoine Bell-Rodgers in three separate felonies in the six days preceding the Briggs shooting.

One SWAT team searched the apartment building where Addison's girlfriend, Angela Swist, lived and found clothing stained with blood in a bathtub and a bottle of bleach nearby.

[18] Manchester Police Detectives learned during the investigation that Addison had fled with his other girlfriend (not Swist) to his grandfather's apartment in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

[1] During an interview shortly after Addison's arrest with Manchester Police Detectives, he denied any role in the murder of Briggs.

During a taped interview, Addison told his story six different times before confessing to authorities that he shot at the police officers coming toward him.

[21] Later Addison was also charged with armed robbery, conspiracy and felony possession of a firearm in relation to a five-day crime spree that started a week before the homicide.

[22] Detective Lieutenant Nick Willard of the Manchester Police Department led the investigation into the murder of Officer Briggs, as well as the ancillary crimes, and established the following events.

During the investigation, his girlfriend Angela Swist and Teresia Shipley, another friend, turned themselves in to police after authorities issued warrants for their arrests.

Bell-Rogers, one of the men arrested at the scene of the October 16, 2006, shooting of Briggs, was later charged with firing a handgun at an apartment and felony possessing a firearm.

A grand jury, however, charged Bell-Rogers with armed robbery and conspiracy for robbing a convenience store five days before the Briggs shooting.

Furthermore, we conclude that the sentence of death was not imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice or any other arbitrary factor, and that the evidence was sufficient to support the jury's findings of aggravating circumstances.

Only after additional briefing and oral argument on comparative proportionality under RSA 630:5, XI(c) will we conclude our review of the defendant's sentence of death, at which time we will issue a further opinion."

But its existence has stopped a key catalyst: the one-year countdown clock between the end of Addison's appeals and the possibility of an execution.

[63] The city closed down parts of Elm Street for the funeral and procession; it suspended parking and meter restrictions (although some were reserved for the memorial service).

[67] On March 20, 2007, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats minor league baseball team announced that they would retire the number 83 in honor of Officer Briggs on May 21, 2007.

In addition, team members will wear special jerseys carrying the patch of the Manchester Police Department and Officer Briggs' badge number.

[68] In Epsom, a traffic circle (rotary) was renamed on June 4, 2007, to honor officers Michael Briggs and Jeremy Charron.

[69] Many local and state news media outlets in New Hampshire and Massachusetts reported the death and memorial of Officer Briggs.

[78] Other newspapers like the Portsmouth Herald, Boston Globe and the Washington Post also reported on the shooting and memorial of Michael Briggs.

Lt. Nick Willard testifying to how the murder was committed under the questioning of NH Assistant Attorney General Karen Huntress.