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Elderly Inmate Gets Early Release Due to Virus Fears

By Daymond Steer

The Conway Daily Sun

OSSIPEE — A Carroll County Superior Court judge ruled an elderly jail inmate incarcerated on domestic violence convictions may serve his sentence from home since the jail superintendent doubts he can keep him safe from COVID-19.

Carroll County jail inmate Terrance Perkins appears by video in Carroll County Superior Court on April 3. (WMUR POOL PHOTO)

Terrance Perkins, 73, was found guilty Oct. 23, 2019, of two felony charges related to using a gun to threaten his wife, Yvonne Perkins, and minor grandchild in Tamworth in a 2016 incident.

Judge Amy Ignatius in November gave Perkins a yearlong jail sentence and suspended prison sentence of five to 10 years.

In January, Perkins was indicted for assaulting a female corrections officer in December while he was at the Carroll County jail. He was before Ignatius last Friday for the emergency hearing, which the Sun covered by phone.

Toward the end of the hour-long hearing, Ignatius agreed with jail superintendent Jason Henry, who said he could not ensure Perkins' safety from the virus in custody.

"This isn't about sympathy to Mr. Perkins," said Ignatius. "This isn't about feeling he should get special treatment. It has to do with the overall facility and the management of that facility in a way that's safe for everyone."

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