Name change denied: Convicted murderer’s quest for new identity rejected

A man serving an ongoing prison sentence for the 1999 murder of his intimate partner will legally remain known as James Covington, after a judge denied his latest petition to change his first name to Jamauri.

The ruling comes after years of legal proceedings between Covington and state officials from the Department of Corrections and Attorney General’s office.

In August 2022, a lower court judge initially granted Covington’s name change request, after he told the court that he had “worked hard in my quest to correct my wrong doings” and was seeking a “fresh start.” Covington was sentenced to 30 years to life after pleading guilty in 2000 for the strangulation and suffocation of Debra Dunce, an intimate partner. He is currently incarcerated at the New Hampshire state correctional facility in Berlin.

The legal standard for approving name changes for incarcerated people is higher than those of the general population and requires notification to the Department of Corrections.

The agency, however, did not file any record with the court opposing the name change.

After James was formally declared Jamauri — and issued a new prison identification card — the state filed a request to overturn the decision, arguing that he had not provided a compelling or necessary reason for the name change.

A superior court judge sided with the state, invalidating the name change in October 2023.

The following month, Covington submitted a new application to again change his first name to Jamauri.

In this application, Covington said he needed a new identity because he feared retaliation from a former prison guard who, he alleged, sexually abused him. He also said he feared retaliation from nearly two dozen jail employees against whom he has filed civil lawsuits while incarcerated.

In January, the state filed a motion seeking to block the name change, noting that Covington wasn’t up for parole until 2028, at the earliest.

The state also argued that allowing people under correctional supervision “to change their names whenever they desire would impact the agency’s ability to maintain adequate identification records and to accurately track the criminal history of inmates and parolees.”

In an order dated March 29, Lancaster Probate Court Judge Sandra Cabrera noted that incarcerated people are required to prove that their requested name change is “necessary” — but Covington, she said, had not provided evidence that he was facing threats that would justify that change.

Cabrera said Covington could pursue other legal avenues, including restraining orders, if he feared for his safety upon release.

Lawyers for the state also noted in their pleading that “victims and their families have a right to notice of a defendant’s potential name change” so they would be able to monitor his whereabouts should he be released.

It isn’t clear if Covington will appeal the decision.

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