Sisters waive arraignment in drummer's death case

Mandy Patch (Rochester Police photos)

Laurie Henner

DOVER, N.H. - The two women charged with felony riot in connection with the death of Bang N Jane drummer Jim Unfonak both waived arraignments in Strafford County Superior Court on Friday paving the way for their possible indictment by a grand jury.

Mandy Patch, 37, of Old Milton Road, Rochester, is charged with one count of simple assault, a Class A misdemeanor, and felony riot; Laurie Henner, 41, of Whitebirch Lane, Farmington, her sister, is charged with one count of felony riot.

Eric Langlais, 41, of Barnstead, is charged with reckless manslaughter in the death of Unfonak for allegedly punching him in the head in the parking lot of Gary's Sports Bar around 1:30 a.m. Jan. 31. Unfonak was declared brain dead later that day and taken off life support on Feb. 1.

Langlais is being held on $25,000 cash bail at Strafford County Jail.

While the sisters never showed on Friday, a police affidavit indicates they felt slighted by remarks they say Unfonak made the night of the attack when they were at the bar with Langlais.

When Patch was interviewed by detectives, she stated the trouble at the bar started when Unfonak called a woman who was friends with her sister "fat."

After the initial confrontation at the bar, Langlais, Henner and Patch were asked to leave and did, but waited outside to get "a piece" of Unfonak, according to the affidavit.

"Mandy said they were told to leave so they did and waited outside in the parking lot," the affidavit states. "Mandy said that she told the bar staff they were not going to leave and that she was going to wait outside for James, and if Eric didn't hit him, she was going to."

Jim Unfonak (Courtesy photo)

In the affidavit Henner said she was at the bar with the friend Patch said Unfonak called "fat" along with several others. Henner said Unfonak would go by the friend and make oinking noises.

When Rochester detectives interviewed the individual said to have been called "fat," however, she said she left around midnight because Henner "was starting some drama," according to the affidavit. She further told the detective Unfonak had never said anything to her.

The two women's riot charges carry severe penalties if convicted. Under state law "riot" is defined as: when two or more people engage in violent conduct that alarms or risks alarming the public. It is also a crime to meet with two or more other people in order to engage in violent conduct, or commit a crime against people or property. Riot is punished more severely if anyone is injured.

While the simple assault charge could land Patch in jail for a full year, the riot charges against both women carry a maximum prison sentence of seven years.

Meanwhile, a man accused of assault that same night at Gary' Sports Bar, Forrest Rollins, 42, of Brook St., Rochester, is charged with one count of simple assault, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, for allegedly shoving a victim identified by a source close to the investigation as Unfonak earlier in the evening.
That assault occurred before Langlais, Patch and Henner were told to leave the bar by bouncers and is not connected to the fatal encounter later that nght.

Patch and Henner remain free on personal recognizance.

Langlais faces up to 30 years in prison for the manslaughter charge.