MONTPELIER — A well-known defense lawyer has questioned a decision by Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark to file criminal charges against two state troopers for the use of a bean bag in an effort to deescalate an unruly suspect on a roof at Windham County home almost a year ago.
Attorney David Sleigh of St. Johnsbury, who represents Patrol Sgt. Ryan Wood, said Friday the decision by the AG sets a bad precedent in Vermont.
kAmr=2C<’D @77:46 D2:5 E9:D H66< :E H2?ED (@@5 2?5 %C@@A6C +2492CJ %C@4<: 492C865 H:E9 EH@ >:D56>62?@CDi C64<=6DD 6?52?86C>6?E 2?5 D:>A=6 2DD2F=E[ 7@C E96 :?4:56?E 2E 23@FE ai`d 2]>] yF?6 `f[ a_aa[ :? }6H72?6[ 244@C5:?8 E@ |:<6 ~’}6:=[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 '6C>@?E $E2E6 %C@@A6CD F?:@?]k^Am
kAm$=6:89[ H9@ 92D @7E6? 366? 4C:E:42= @7 A@=:46 :? '6C>@?E E9C@F89@FE 9:D =@?8E:>6 42C66C 2D 2 5676?D6 =2HJ6C[ D2:5 E9:D 42D6 :D @?6 @7 E9@D6 6I46AE:@?D :? H9:49 96 36=:6G6D 492C86D 2C6 F?H2CC2?E65]k^Am
kAm“{@@<[ x’G6 4C:E:42==J 4C@DD\6I2>:?65 4@AD 23@FE E96:C A6C7@C>2?46 7@C J62CD] p?5 x H2D 2? 62C=J 2?5 G@42= @AA@?6?E @7 “4@>>2?5 2?5 4@?EC@= “ >:=:E2C:K2E:@? @7 =@42= A@=:46[” $=6:89 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“qFE E96D6 >6? 2?5 H@>6? H256 :?E@ EC@F3=6 6G6CJ 52J H:E9 E96 @3;64E:G6 @7 <66A:?8 FD D276] %96 pEE@C?6J v6?6C2=’D 9:?5D:89E D64@?5\8F6DD:?8 2?5 2EE6>AED E@ 4C:>:?2=:K6 8@@5 72:E9 4@?5F4E :D C6AC696?D:3=6 2?5 52?86C@FD[” $=6:89 D2:5]k^Am
kAmqFC=:?8E@? 5676?D6 =2HJ6C #@3 $FDD>2?[ H9@ C6AC6D6?ED %C@4<:[ 4@F=5 ?@E 36 C624965 7@C 4@>>6?E @? uC:52J]k^Am
kAmr=2C<[ H9@ 5:5 ?@E C6DA@?5 E@ 2 A9@?6 >6DD286 %9FCD52J[ C6>2:?65 F?2G2:=23=6 uC:52J]k^Am
kAmw6C 49:67 @7 DE277[ {2FC6? y2?5=[ :DDF65 2 @?6\=:?6 DE2E6>6?E @? %9FCD52J ?:89Ei “!C@D64FE@CD 2C6 DF3;64E E@ A2CE:4F=2C CF=6D @7 AC@76DD:@?2= C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ E92E AC6G6?E FD 7C@> 4@>>6?E:?8 2E E9:D E:>6]”k^Am
kAm%96 DE2E6>6?E 5:5 ?@E 4:E6 2?J DA64:7:4 CF=6D] y6?5= =2E6C @776C65 E96 AC:?E CF=6D[ H9:49 2AA62C E@ =:>:E[ 3FE 5@?’E AC@9:3:E r=2C< 7C@> DA62<:?8 23@FE E96 42D6]k^Am
kAm%96 =2DE EH@ pEE@C?6J v6?6C2=D — %]y] s@?@G2? 2?5 $FD2??6 *@F?8 — 3@E9 E@@< ?@ 24E:@? @? E96 42D6[ 3FE r=2C<[ H9@ H2D DH@C? :? :? 62C=J y2?F2CJ[ :D ?@H AC@4665:?8 H:E9 E96 42D6]k^Am
kAm(:?592> r@F?EJ $E2E6’D pEE@C?6J %C24J $9C:G6C AF?E65 E96 42D6 E@ E96?\~C=62?D r@F?EJ $E2E6’D pEE@C?6J y6??:76C q2CC6EE[ H9@ H2D DH@C? :? 2D 2 DE2E6 ;F586 :? =2E6 $6AE6>36C a_aa] xE H2D F?4=62C E9:D H66< :7 E96 42D6 H2D C6E2:?65 3J 96C DF446DD@C @C H2D A2DD65 E@ 2 >@C6 6IA6C:6?465 AC@D64FE@C]k^Am
kAmr@F?EJ AC@D64FE@CD 2?5 E96 pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= 92G6 4@?4FCC6?E ;FC:D5:4E:@? @G6C 4C:>:?2= 42D6D]k^Am
kAm$=6:89 D2:5 r=2C<’D @77:46 92D 366? F?4@@A6C2E:G6 :? E96 }6H72?6 42D6] w6 D2:5 96 :D F?2H2C6 @7 E96 32D:D 7@C E96 AC@A@D65 4C:>:?2= 492C86D]k^Am
kAm“x’G6 D66? ?@E9:?8[” $=6:89 D2:5]k^Am
kAm$=6:89 D2:5 96 <?@HD =:EE=6 23@FE E96 42D6[ 6I46AE 7@C H92E 92D 366? C6A@CE65 3J E96 ?6HD >65:2]k^Am
kAmw6 D2:5 96 D2E :? `` >@?E9D 28@ H96? $8E] (@@5 AC@G:565 9:D DE2E6>6?E E@ DE2E6 A@=:46 :?G6DE:82E@CD] w6 D2:5 96 925 962C5 ?@E9:?8 D:?46 E96 :?E6CG:6H 6I46AE :? C646?E 52JD 96 =62C?65 E96 pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= D2:5 D96 H2?E65 E96 EH@ EC@@A6CD 492C865]k^Am
kAm$=6:89 D2:5 r=2C<’D @77:46 C646?E=J 2D<65 :7 96 H@F=5 2446AE E96 4@FCE 4:E2E:@? @? 3692=7 @7 9:D 4=:6?E] $=6:89 D2:5 96 C6BF6DE65 E96 pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= D92C6 E96 AC@A@D65 277:52G:E @7 AC@323=6 42FD6 7@C E96 EH@ AC@A@D65 492C86D] r=2C<’D @77:46 C67FD65 E96 C6BF6DE[ 244@C5:?8 E@ $=6:89]k^Am
kAm$=6:89 D2:5 96 564=:?65 E@ 2446AE E96 4:E2E:@? 2?5 :D =62G:?8 :E FA E@ r=2C<’D @77:46 E@ D6CG6 (@@5[ 2? ``\J62C G6E6C2?]k^Am
kAm~’}6:= D2:5 uC:52J 27E6C?@@? 96 :D 4@?46C?65 E96 564:D:@? H:== 92G6 @? 56A2CE>6?E >@C2=6 2?5 C64CF:E:?8 677@CED]k^Am
kAm$E2E6 A@=:46 C64@C5D D9@H E96 56A2CE>6?E[ H9:49 :D 2FE9@C:K65 bah EC@@A6CD[ 925 da G242?4:6D 2E E96 6?5 @7 pAC:=] xE 2=D@ 925 2?@E96C a` EC@@A6CD E92E H6C6 F?2G2:=23=6 3642FD6 E96J H6C6 2EE6?5:?8 E96 A@=:46 24256>J[ H6C6 @? >:=:E2CJ @C =@?8\E6C> =62G6 @C H@C<6C’D 4@>A]k^Am
kAmpAA=:42E:@?D 2C6 5@H? 23@FE g_ A6C46?E :? C646?E J62CD[ E96 56A2CE>6?E ?@E65]k^Am
kAm~’}6:= D2:5 :?E6C6DE65 A6CD@?D 2C6 =6DD =:<6=J E@ 2AA=J H96? 6G6CJ3@5J :D 8@:?8 E@ 36 =@@<:?8 @G6C E96:C D9@F=56C @? 6G6CJ 42D6]k^Am
kAm~’}6:= D2:5 96 36=:6G6D E96C6 :D 2 DEC@?8 @3;64E:@? E@ “E96 4C:>:?2=:K2E:@? @7 2 DA=:E\D64@?5 AF3=:4 D276EJ 564:D:@?” 3J r=2C<’D @77:46]k^Am
kAmw6 D2:5 E96 :DDF6 D9@F=5 36 562=E H:E9 :?E6C?2==J E9C@F89 A@=:4:6D 2?5 AC@465FC6D]k^Am
kAm}6HD C6A@CED 27E6C E96 :?4:56?E :?5:42E65 $8E] (@@5 2?5 %C@@A6C %C@4<: H6C6 5:DA2E4965 E@ E96 EH@\DE@CJ C6D:56?46 @? '6C>@?E b_ 5F6 E@ 2 4@>A=2:?E 3J E96 9@>6@H?6C 23@FE 2 8F6DE 42FD:?8 AC@A6CEJ 52>286 2?5 24E:?8 :CC2E:@?2==J 2E 23@FE ai`d :? E96 >@C?:?8]k^Am
kAm%96 EC@@A6CD 7@F?5 E96 DFDA64E @? E96 C@@7 3C2?5:D9:?8 2 92?596=5 D2H ?62C E96 324< D:56 @7 E96 9@FD6 @? 2 DFC7246 D=:89E=J 23@G6 DEC66E =6G6=[ A@=:46 D2:5] %96 >2? :8?@C65 A@=:46 4@>>2?5D] q2D65 @? E96 E@E2=:EJ @7 E96 4:C4F>DE2?46D 2?5 E96 F?4@?EC@==65 24E:@?D @7 E96 >2?[ A@=:46 D2:5 2 564:D:@? H2D >256 E@ D9@@E 2 ?@?\=6E92= 362? 328 E@ ECJ E@ 6?4@FC286 4@>A=:2?46 E@ E96 :8?@C65 4@>>2?5D] %C@4<: 56A=@J65 E96 362?\328 C@F?5]k^Am
kAmp7E6C E96 362? 328 C@F?5 DECF4< E96 DFDA64E[ |2CD92== s62? e`[ @7 }6H72?6[ 96 =2E6C H2=<65 E@ E96 72C 6586 @7 E96 C@@7[ A@=:46 D2:5] %96 >2? =2E6C D=:AA65 2?5 76== 23@FE `a\`d 766E @77 E96 324< @7 E96 C@@7[ A@=:46 D2:5] s62? DFDE2:?65 2 D6C:@FD 9625 :?;FCJ 2?5 =2E6C C64@G6C65]k^Am
kAmr=2C< 92D 2AA2C6?E=J 564:565 E96 EC@@A6CD FD:?8 E96 362? 328 E@ ECJ E@ @3E2:? 4@>A=:2?46 H2D F?;FDE:7:65]k^Am
kAm$8E] (@@5 H2D 9:C65 2D 2 EC@@A6C :? a_`a 2?5 H2D 2DD:8?65 E@ E96 #@4<:?892> 32CC24<D 27E6C 8C25F2E:@? 7C@> E96 '6C>@?E !@=:46 p4256>J] (@@5 H2D 2DD:8?65 E@ E96 }2C4@E:4D x?G6DE:82E:@? &?:E :? a_`e] ~?6 J62C =2E6C[ 96 H2D AC@>@E65 E@ D6C862?E 2?5 EC2?D76CC65 E@ E96 (6DE>:?DE6C q2CC24<D]k^Am
kAm%C@@A6C %C@4<: H2D 9:C65 :? E96 72== @7 a_a` 2?5 2DD:8?65 E@ E96 (6DE>:?DE6C q2CC24<D 7@==@H:?8 9:D 8C25F2E:@? 7C@> E96 24256>J :? E96 DAC:?8 @7 a_aa]k^Am
kAmx? 2? F?C6=2E65 EH:DE[ E96 9@>6 H2D 56DEC@J65 :? 2 }@G6>36C a_aa 6IA=@D:@? 2?5 7:C6 E92E 4=2:>65 E96 =:76 @7 E96 @H?6C[ #FDD6== p] qFK3J[ de[ @7 }6H72?6] %96 6IA=@D:@? 3=6H E96 7C@?E 5@@C 23@FE `__ 766E 5@H? E96 C@25 2?5 42FD65 2>>F?:E:@? E@ 6IA=@56 2D 7:C67:89E6CD 2CC:G65 E@ 32EE=6 E96 3=2K6]k^Am
Post a comment as anonymous
Report
Watch this discussion.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.