Capital punishment was a legal penalty in the U.S. state of New Hampshire for persons convicted of capital murder prior to 30 May 2019. On 30 May 2019, the New Hampshire Senate voted 16–8 to override Governor Chris Sununu's veto of House Bill 455, which changed the punishment of capital murder from capital punishment to life in prison. Earlier, on April 26, the New Hampshire House of Representatives had voted 247–123 to override the veto. In both chambers, the measure to override the governor's veto passed by a single vote to secure the two thirds majority required. New Hampshire was the last state in New England to allow capital punishment by law, and is the 21st state to abolish capital punishment. The abolition of capital punishment does not affect Michael "Stix" Addison, who was sentenced to death in 2008 for the murder of Manchester police officer Michael L. Briggs. He is the only person on death row in New Hampshire; the new law does not apply retroactively to his case. The primary method was lethal injection, with hanging as a secondary method if lethal injection was deemed "impractical" by the State Commissioner of Corrections. The state carried out 24 executions for capital punishment, most recently in July 1939, with the execution of Howard Long. Status prior to 2019 Legal process When the prosecution chose to seek the death penalty, the sentence was decided by the jury and had to be unanimous. In the case of a hung jury during the penalty phase of the trial, a life sentence was issued, even if a single juror opposed death (there was no retrial). The governor has the power of clemency with respect to death sentences, with advice of the executive council. Capital murder Capital murder was the only crime for which people, who were convicted prior to May 30, 2019, could be executed in the state. With the abolishment of the death penalty on May 30, only the sentence of death was replaced by mandatory life in prison. A person is guilty of capital murder if they knowingly caused the death of: A sheriff or deputy sheriff, state trooper, constable or police officer of a city or town, correctional officer, probation-parole officer, conservation officer, judge or similar person, state or local prosecutor acting in the line of duty or in retaliation for their job. Another before, after, while engaged or attempting to