A former corrections officer is facing second-degree murder charges in New Hampshire, accused of killing Jason Rothe, 50, a patient in the state’s Secure Psychiatric Unit. Matthew Millar, 39, from Boscawen, allegedly applied fatal pressure to Rothe’s body while he was restrained on the floor during an incident on April 29, 2023, according to the state's Attorney General's Office.
Reports from NECN state that Millar is accused of holding Rothe down with his knee and arms, contrary to protocols and training from the NH Department of Corrections. Rothe, who was handcuffed and face-down, died from what the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled as "traumatic (compressional) and positional asphyxiation." While initially reported as an altercation involving six officers, the AG stated there are no current plans to charge any of the other officers involved.
Further details provided by a Patch article indicated that the incident began with a verbal dispute and an attempt to move Rothe from a day room. After a failed de-escalation attempt which included offering snacks to Rothe, Millar, not initially on the entry team, intervened and applied the restraint. “I’ve got (Rothe)," he allegedly stated. "He’s not moving.”
The case has stirred discussion around law enforcement conduct and the use of force. "The decision to bring a charge of this nature for on duty conduct by a law enforcement officer was not made lightly, but was based on a careful and thorough review of the facts and the law,” Attorney General Formella explained in a statement obtained by NECN, emphasizing that the charge reflects allegations against an individual, not the corrections institution as a whole. Millar was arrested and arraigned in Concord Circuit Court.
The Secure Psychiatric Unit, while housed within the New Hampshire state prison, is distinct from it, providing treatment to individuals deemed dangerous to themselves or others and unfit for other mental health facilities in the state. The case continues to unfold as legal proceedings against Millar commence.
