R. Hennessey, 87, former N.H. mayor

DOVER, N.H. -- Raymond Hennessey, a former Dover mayor and New Hampshire lawmaker who was later convicted of molesting two young boys, has died. He was 78.

Mr. Hennessey served on the Dover School Board during the 1970s and was elected to the City Council in 1978. He was mayor from 1982 to 1984 and was named the city's Citizen of the Year in 1986.

He also served three terms in the House of Representatives -- one during the 1950s and two in the early '80s.

So the community was shocked when Mr. Hennessey was convicted in 1994 of molesting the boys, who were 12 and 13 years old when the assaults began. He was convicted on one charge of rape and nine counts of sexual assault.

He was sentenced to 13 to 37 years in prison, but was allowed to go home on electronic monitoring last month because of poor health.