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CONCORD, N.H. -- A man convicted of criminal threatening after he was accused of waving a gun at a woman on his property will be freed from jail.
The Executive Council voted unanimously to commute Ward Bird's three- to six-year sentence, but he wasn't given the pardon he asked for.
The council made its decision Wednesday after some discussion following Bird's testimony Tuesday.
"I watched Mr. Bird yesterday, and he seems to be a very quiet, mild-mannered man," said Councilor Ray Wieczorek. "It would be hard for me to imagine that a man with his demeanor was going to be one that was going to get wild."
Councilor David Wheeler questioned whether Bird really committed the crime he's in jail for. He was accused of not only pointing a gun at Christine Harris, a woman who went past "no trespassing" signs on his property, but also jumping off his porch and chasing her -- all after having extensive surgery.
"And Christine Harris says he did that, he jumped off the porch and chased her down the driveway," Wheeler said. "To me, that cannot be true, and if that is not true, then there's a probability that he didn't point a gun at her either, based on her past false accusations."
But a jury convicted Bird of criminal threatening, a fact that made one councilor question granting a full pardon.
"When you review the background of both individuals -- there are no angels in this case -- I am fearful that we set a precedent of substituting our judgment for the entire judicial process," said Councilor Dan St. Hilaire.
Gov. John Lynch agreed.
"I can't support a full and complete pardon, but I could support something short of that that would allow Ward Bird to return home as quickly as possible," Lynch said.
The governor vetoed a vote for a full pardon. The decision to commute Bird's sentence was unanimous. He will be released, but he will still have a felony record, something unsatisfying to his supporters.
"I'm disappointed that the governor took what I consider to be the easy way out," said supporter Becky Bryant. "It's tough to stand up when something was done wrong and admit we have done wrong and that it's time to reverse it. I expected more of our governor."
The attorney general said that because the felony will stay on Bird's record, all of the legal consequences of having that conviction will remain, and he will not be able to own guns.
The Executive Council voted unanimously to commute Ward Bird's three- to six-year sentence, but he wasn't given the pardon he asked for.
The council made its decision Wednesday after some discussion following Bird's testimony Tuesday.
"I watched Mr. Bird yesterday, and he seems to be a very quiet, mild-mannered man," said Councilor Ray Wieczorek. "It would be hard for me to imagine that a man with his demeanor was going to be one that was going to get wild."
Councilor David Wheeler questioned whether Bird really committed the crime he's in jail for. He was accused of not only pointing a gun at Christine Harris, a woman who went past "no trespassing" signs on his property, but also jumping off his porch and chasing her -- all after having extensive surgery.
"And Christine Harris says he did that, he jumped off the porch and chased her down the driveway," Wheeler said. "To me, that cannot be true, and if that is not true, then there's a probability that he didn't point a gun at her either, based on her past false accusations."
But a jury convicted Bird of criminal threatening, a fact that made one councilor question granting a full pardon.
"When you review the background of both individuals -- there are no angels in this case -- I am fearful that we set a precedent of substituting our judgment for the entire judicial process," said Councilor Dan St. Hilaire.
Gov. John Lynch agreed.
"I can't support a full and complete pardon, but I could support something short of that that would allow Ward Bird to return home as quickly as possible," Lynch said.
The governor vetoed a vote for a full pardon. The decision to commute Bird's sentence was unanimous. He will be released, but he will still have a felony record, something unsatisfying to his supporters.
"I'm disappointed that the governor took what I consider to be the easy way out," said supporter Becky Bryant. "It's tough to stand up when something was done wrong and admit we have done wrong and that it's time to reverse it. I expected more of our governor."
The attorney general said that because the felony will stay on Bird's record, all of the legal consequences of having that conviction will remain, and he will not be able to own guns.
