Concord
Each side was scheduled to have 15 minutes before the court on June 14, but oral arguments were postponed last Friday at the request of Labrie’s attorney, Jaye Rancourt, who wrote that she’ll be on vacation at that time. The court ordered the case rescheduled for the September oral arguments session.
It’s been more than two years since Labrie, of Tunbridge, filed a direct appeal of his convictions, including a felony computer charge that requires lifelong registration as a sex offender. A jury found Labrie guilty in August 2015 of using the internet to solicit sex from a 15-year-old freshman as part of the “Senior Salute,” a game of sexual conquest at St. Paul’s School in Concord.
He also was found guilty of three counts of statutory rape and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, all misdemeanors.
Rancourt previously provided local counsel to Labrie’s out-of-state trial team led by famed Boston attorney J.W. Carney. She is representing Labrie on his direct appeal, but not on his discretionary appeal, which also is before the state’s highest court.
In his discretionary appeal, Labrie argues that he received ineffective counsel leading to his convictions.
Appellate defender Christopher Johnson is representing Labrie as he challenges Merrimack County Superior Court Judge Larry Smukler’s decision in April 2017 not to grant him a new trial. Smukler said in his ruling that Labrie failed to prove that his high-profile legal team was “constitutionally ineffective.”
That case has not yet been scheduled for oral arguments. Labrie is out of jail on bail pending his appeals.
