A Concord man accused of seriously injuring a newborn in the city last year will spend no time in jail under an agreement with prosecutors as long as he remains of good behavior.
Jefferson Knott, 37, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, a Class B felony that typically carries a 3 ½ to 7-year sentence. Knott was previously indicted on a charge of first-degree assault, but the indictment was amended last week as part of a plea agreement in the case.
Knott was sentenced to one year in jail, all suspended for five years on conditions of good behavior. He must also comply with all orders from the state’s Division for Children, Youth and Families, in addition to related family court orders as a condition of his criminal sentence.
Court documents say Knott used “excessive force” on a child who suffered skeletal injuries, including a spiral fracture to the humerus, which is a main bone in the upper arm. The child, who is known to Knott, was injured sometime between Jan. 26, 2018, and Feb. 25, 2018.
Police said they began their investigation after Concord Hospital staff called them about a suspected case of child abuse. The newborn exhibited signs of serious skeletal injuries and was ultimately taken to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon for further treatment. The state’s Division for Children, Youth and Families was also notified.
Assistant Merrimack County Attorney Wayne Coull said by phone that prosecutors consulted with investigating officers and the families involved as part of efforts to resolve the case.
“It was a crime of reckless conduct having to do with excessive force being used, but it wasn’t an intentional act of harm,” Coull said. “Now, it was more than an accident – it involved a level of force that no reasonable person should use.”
Knott was charged in June 2018 as a result of a direct indictment filed by the Merrimack County Attorney’s Office, meaning he was never formally arrested by Concord police.
Records show that Concord police have responded to Knott’s residence multiple times since 2004 for calls relating to domestic violence. Those calls have primarily resulted in misdemeanor-level arrests, including for charges of simple assault, domestic violence and obstruction of a report of a crime.