By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD – Prosecutors want former state Senator Jeffrey Woodburn sentenced to two years with at least 60 days of that time served in jail for misdemeanor convictions involving domestic violence against his former fiancée Emily Jacobs.

Woodburn, a Whitefield Democrat who lost his re-election bid in November 2018 after his arrest almost three years ago, was convicted in May of four misdemeanor charges involving three incidents in which he admitted biting Jacobs’ left arm, kicking her dryer door 10 times and breaking a door to the house she was renting, according to the state’s sentencing recommendation by Senior Assistant Attorney General Geoffrey Ward that was released Friday.

Woodburn was found not guilty on the five other charges that stemmed from a different incident involving allegedly biting Jacobs, throwing a cup of water at her face, punching her in the stomach and trespassing.

Ward also wants Judge Peter Bornstein to require Woodburn’s sentence be served “stand committed” meaning he would be taken to jail immediately after the hearing set for Tuesday, July 13 saying Woodburn showed no remorse by speaking with this reporter after the jury announced the verdicts. Ward attached the InDepthNH.org story about the sentencing to the court filing.

“Following the return of verdicts in this matter, the defendant reportedly made a public statement to a number of news outlets in which he claimed, in substance, that the verdicts returned by the jury exonerated him,” Ward wrote. “The defendant is quoted by InDepthNH.org as stating, ‘They [the jury] believed me. They didn’t believe her’ and ‘In short, that [the jury’s verdicts] means they believed me.’”

“In expressing his view that his criminal convictions amount to absolution, it is clear the defendant lacks remorse for his commission of these crimes…,” Ward wrote. “From reading the post-conviction statements attributed to the defendant it is clear that he does not comprehend or appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct. The Court can endeavor to change that, by imposing a stand committed sentence and sending the clear message to this defendant that his criminal conduct was wrong, constituted domestic violence, and will not be tolerated in this State. Unfortunately, to do otherwise likely would serve only to embolden the defendant (and perhaps others) in his misguided belief that the verdicts in this matter are a badge of honor.”

Woodburn’s attorney Donna Brown didn’t address Ward’s stand-committed request.

But Brown did echo the statement Woodburn made after the trial in her sentence recommendation. Jacobs also released a statement after the verdicts saying she was pleased that the jury believed her.

“While Mr. Woodburn admitted to some of the charged acts such as damaging the clothes dryer, biting Emily’s hand on December 15, 2017, and kicking the door to her house on December 24, 2017, he denied the other charges,” Brown wrote. “Analysis of the verdicts demonstrates that the jury credited Mr. Woodburn’s trial testimony and rejected Ms. Jacobs testimony to the extent it conflicted with the defendant’s testimony.”

Brown included a chart in her filing that backed up Woodburn’s comments.

Jacobs’ statement said: “Today, justice was served, and as a survivor of domestic violence, I was believed.  I am grateful to the jury for convicting the defendant of domestic violence, holding him accountable for his acts of violence against me,” Jacobs said. “Many victims of domestic violence do not come forward out of fear of retaliation or that they will not be believed.  I too had that fear, especially in light of the political position and influence held by the defendant. I hope that this verdict will encourage other victims to report allegations of abuse, and that we will see a day when all perpetrators are held accountable.”

Jacobs said her journey has not been easy, but she is grateful to her supporters. Those include “my family and close friends, the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence; and domestic violence expert and New York-based attorney Jennifer Friedman. I would also like to thank the attorneys and investigators at the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office for prosecuting this case and treating me with dignity and respect throughout the process.”

Jacobs has denied repeated requests for an interview with InDepthNH.org. She was chair of the Coos County Democratic Committee and ran unsuccessfully to become Coos County Treasurer while engaged to Woodburn.

Brown said she will seek a suspended sentence on the convictions with no jail time for Woodburn. Her filing said Woodburn had ended the relationship when he was arrested and during the trial painted Jacobs as trying to get back at Woodburn for breaking up with her. And as a result of his arrest Woodburn lost his job as executive director at Counsel for Youth Chronic Conditions in Dover, Brown wrote.

Since his arrest Woodburn worked at Cannon Mountain in Franconia as a line cook and server and as a server and bartender at The Profile Club in Franconia.

Brown attached letters to Bornstein from Woodburn’s ex-wife Liz Charlwood and current girlfriend Patricia Dwyer, both attesting to their opinion of Woodburn having a nonviolent nature.

“I’ve known Jeff Woodburn for more than 30 years and was married to him for a decade of that. In all these years
– which include working together, marriage, parenting, divorce and renewed friendship, I have never witnessed
or experienced Jeff using violence toward anything or anyone – I’d be hard-pressed to count on one hand how
many times he raised his voice,” Charlwood wrote.

Jacobs, a social worker, said during the trial that she lost her job. She broke down in tears several times while testifying about the abuse allegations prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

According to the court, the sentencing hearing will be open to the public with limited seating unlike the trial, in which the public and press had to watch the trial on a small video screen and listen to sometimes inaudible audio from an adjacent courtroom.