Woman who jumped gleefully as Unfonak fell gets year

Laurie Henner

DOVER - The Farmington woman who clapped her hands and jumped up and down as Bang N Jane drummer Jim Unfonak fell heavily to the ground after allegedly taking what would be a fatal punch to the head by Eric Langlais of Barnstead in the parking lot of a Rochester tavern has pleaded guilty to the charge of riot and will spend a year locked up.

Laurie Henner, 41, of White Birch Lane, was sentenced to one year in Strafford County Jail on Monday in Strafford County Superior Court. By agreeing to the charge, she basically admits that she lay in wait for the popular Rochester musician along with Mandy Patch of East Rochester and Langlais, and intended as a group to commit a violent act early the morning of Jan. 31.

Langlais, 42, is expected to go to trial in next year on manslaughter and riot charges.

Patch, 38, has already pleaded guilty in the case and was given a one-year suspended jail sentence.

Langlais, 41, is alleged to have punched Unfonak in the head around 1:30 a.m. in the parking lot of Gary's Sports Bar in Rochester, a blow that left him on life support until he died the next day.

Henner and Patch were both indicted on riot charges for allegedly "assembling" with Langlais outside Gary's Sports Bar and having the same purpose when they assembled "of engaging in tumultuous or violent conduct, and in the course of and as a result of the conduct James Unfonak suffered physical injury."

Unfonak suffered the fatal blow while attempting to get into a car and leave the tavern parking lot after earlier having had an altercation with Langlais inside the bar.

According to a police affidavit, video provided by the owner of the sports bar shows Patch, Henner and Langlais being escorted from the bar, but they appear to have waited outside in the parking lot for Unfonak to leave despite bouncers' demands that they leave.

Then around 1:32 a.m., as bar staff help Unfonak to the vehicle, "The video shows that Eric then hits James on the left side of his body. James takes a few steps back while putting both of his hands up in what appears to be a defensive position. The suspect is then seen punching James once on the left side of his face," the affidavit states.

After Unfonak falls to the ground, Patch could be seen in the video clapping and jumping, the affidavit states.

Unfonak was transported to Maine Med where he was taken off life support the next day.

Langlais remains at Strafford County Jail on $25,000 cash bail.