Man charged in NH hostage-taking to plead guilty

DOVER, N.H.—The Somersworth, New Hampshire man accused of taking hostages last year at one of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign offices plans to plead guilty to the charges later this year after finishing a program to address substance-abuse problems.

Randy Hawkes, the lawyer for 47-year-old Leeland Eisenberg, says he expects a plea and sentencing to be scheduled for his client sometime in September, after Eisenberg completes a 90-day Therapeutic Community Program. He filed a court notice of his intent to plea earlier this year.

Eisenberg has been held at Strafford County jail since Nov. 30. He faces six felonies -- four counts of kidnapping, one count of criminal threatening and one count of false reports of an explosive device.

Police arrested Eisenberg peacefully more than five hours after he entered Clinton's Rochester office.

County Attorney Tom Velardi said he's recommended a 3 1/2-to-seven-year state prison sentence. Hawkes plans to argue for a lesser sentence. Since he's been at jail, Eisenberg has earned his General Education Diploma, and was recognized as having written the best essay about what earning the diploma means to him.

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Information from: Foster's Daily Democrat, http://www.fosters.com