Seventeen-year-old Robert Tulloch walked into the Lebanon District courtroom with his head up, flanked by two armed police officers, and quietly took his seat in front of the judge today.
Dressed in the same sweater and jeans he wore at his extradition hearing in Indiana, Tulloch glanced behind him briefly, solemnly acknowledging his parents Michael and Diane who were seated on the bench behind him.
At the 6:00 p.m. hearing today the mood was somber, as Judge Albert Cirone read the two first-degree murder charges to the defendant.
Cirone asked Tulloch if he understood the charges, and Tulloch said simply, "Yes, Your Honor."
Tulloch appeared to consult briefly with his attorneys, Richard Guerriero and Caroline Smith, New Hampshire public defenders.
After the brief hearing, which took less than 15 minutes, Tulloch was led out of the courtroom, and then police escorted his parents out through the same door.
Guerriero confirmed that Michael and Diane Tulloch, who showed little emotion during the hearing, were going to meet with their son.
Cirone told Tulloch that he could hire private lawyers. Smith and Guerriero would not comment on whether their representation is temporary or permanent.
"We are the attorneys of record right now," Smith said.
After the hearing, Guerriero issued a statement, but took no questions from the media.
"We represent a terrified teenage boy who is trying to deal with very tragic circumstances," he said.
He asked the media to, "Let the system work. Don't jump to conclusions."
Senior Assistant Attorney General Kelly Ayotte said after the hearing that the state's investigation is still on going and continued to decline comment on motive and details of the crime scene.
She said the state may have a witness testify at the probable cause hearing, which is scheduled for next Wednesday.
Tulloch will be remanded to the Grafton County Jail.
