By Paul Conyers
The Londonderry Fish and Game Club (LFGC) has filed a defamation lawsuit against Litchfield residents, Kevin and Janine Anctil, in Rockingham County Superior Court.
The LFGC hired Concord lawyer, Sean List, to represent them in the case. According to his website, List is “regularly consulted regarding federal and state firearm regulation.” Firearms law is one of his specializations.
During the initial complaint in September of 2021, the Anctil couple claimed a stray bullet entered their house, coming within a few feet of the Anctil’s home office. In the official report, the couple also claimed it was the fourth such incident in their neighborhood.
A window was broken and a stray bullet was eventually found by police, though no conclusive source for the bullet was found.
“We’ve constructed these ranges very carefully. They’ve gone through a lot of processes with engineering,” claimed LFGC President, Rick Olson, when responding to the original allegations. “Anything’s possible, so I’m not going to go that far and say it absolutely didn’t come from here. But I would also add that I believe it’s less than likely that it came from here.”
LFGC disputes the claims made. According to the club website, they support “advocacy of hunting, fishing, trapping, and conservation,” with a focus on “outdoor education.” Facilities include ten training ranges. LFGC shooting ranges are over a mile away from the neighborhood, a distance the club claims are too far away from the Anctil neighborhood for the bullets recovered by local law enforcement.
The LFGC also alleges that despite forensic findings, Kevin and Janine have repeatedly defamed the Club in “a media blitz” the over the past few months, including two Facebook posts under the tag “#BulletGate” by Kevin Anctil.
The Anctil couple apparently sent the LFGC a cease-and-desist letter through the Litchfield Town Council requesting the closure of at least two shooting ranges. The club ruled out a non-legal resolution after the letter.
“It is best to be nice, be polite, be understanding. But then at some point, you have to bring in the lawyer,” LFGC stated in a comment on their Facebook page. “Now that the lawyers are involved with one side threatening legal action against LFGC, the ability to sit and talk as neighbors has effectively been foreclosed and is now a legal action.”
“The Club has no comment at this time, but to only state that it regrets that circumstances are such that the filing of a lawsuit became necessary,” said Olson. “It is regrettable that in its 70-year history, this is only the second time the Club has found legal action necessary.” No specifics were given for what damages the LFGC seeks in the lawsuit beyond “what is entitled” by law.
There is a high burden of proof for defamation. The LFGC has requested a jury trial for the case. It is not yet known when the Superior Court will hear arguments.