Concord, NH –Attorney General John M. Formella announces that on December 29, 2021, the Strafford County Superior Court found that Kristina Graper, age 51, of Dover, New Hampshire, violated the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act, RSA chapter 354-B.
The court found that on May 10, 2021, Ms. Graper threatened physical force against the victim, a nine-year-old black child, when she threatened to “kneel on his neck” and called him a racial slur after he accidentally broke a toy that belonged to Ms. Graper’s son. The court concluded that this conduct was motivated by the victim’s race and had the purpose to terrorize or coerce the victim. The court reached this conclusion after the defendant defaulted by not filing a response to the Attorney General’s complaint.
Because the court found that Ms. Graper violated the Civil Rights Act, the court enjoined Ms. Graper from further violations of the Civil Rights Act, RSA 354-B:1, from contacting the victim and the victim’s family, and from knowingly coming within 250 feet of the victim and the victim’s family. The trial court also imposed a $2,500 civil penalty with $2,000 suspended for a period of three years conditioned upon compliance with the injunction. A violation of the terms of the injunction is a crime and may subject Ms. Graper to future civil and/or criminal penalties to include fines or incarceration. The court’s order shall remain in effect for three years but may be extended by order of the court upon motion of the Attorney General.
Assistant Attorney General Sean R. Locke of the Civil Rights Unit prosecuted this case.
The Civil Rights Unit enforces state and federal civil rights laws, including the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act and the New Hampshire Law Against Discrimination. Anyone who believes their civil rights may have been violated may file a complaint at https://www.doj.nh.gov/civil-rights/index.htm or by calling 603-271-3650.