Monday, June 22, 2020
Human Services Secretary Mike Smith initiated the independent probe last December after Seven Days uncovered allegations of sexual misconduct, drug use and retaliation within the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility.
Smith told Seven Days earlier this month that the investigation had been suspended, citing safety concerns related to the pandemic. But last week, he said that the state must forge ahead with the review in light of yet another allegation of misconduct — this time involving a Department of Corrections probation officer from Brattleboro.
"We can't allow this to happen," Smith said at a press conference last Friday, one day after the officer was arrested for sexual misconduct with a woman he was supervising.
Tags: prison , Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility , allegations , misconduct , Mike Smith , Web Only , Image
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Joshua Russ, a 35-year-old Brattleboro resident, was charged with sexual exploitation of an inmate and prostitution. He was being held at Southern State Correctional Center in Springfield for lack of bail and was scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.
According to the state police, the alleged victim reported to the Brattleboro Probation and Parole Office on May 29 that Russ had paid her for oral sex three to four times starting in January. The Department of Corrections said in a statement that it placed Russ on administrative leave that day and referred the matter to law enforcement. The Brattleboro Police Department initially investigated, but the state police later took over.
Authorities subsequently discovered text messages between Russ and the alleged victim that appeared to corroborate the allegation, the state police said.
Tags: Joshua Russ , James Baker , Mike Smith , Vermont Department of Corrections , Web Only , Image
Sunday, June 14, 2020
Gov. Phil Scott issued a statement denouncing the defacement as an "effort to fuel hate and division."
"This act of vandalism only reinforces that we’re not immune to racism, divisiveness and hate in Vermont," Scott said in a written statement. "We must redouble our efforts to dismantle systemic racism and bigotry, and stay united as Vermonters."
House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) had joined the volunteers who painted the message.
"While it is easy to be disgusted and angered by the vandalism of these anonymous cowards, for me their actions reinforce the need to address head-on the racism and white supremacy right here in our communities," she said in a statement.
Tags: Black Lives Matter , Statehouse , Montpelier , vandalism , Web Only , Image
Monday, June 1, 2020
"It has been suspended and as soon as we have an opportunity to open up our facilities again it will be reestablished," Secretary of Human Services Mike Smith said Monday. "It hasn't been forgotten."
Smith ordered the probe last December after Seven Days reported allegations of sexual misconduct, drug use and retaliation within the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility. He hired former U.S. attorney Tristram Coffin of the Burlington law firm Downs Rachlin Martin to conduct the review, which was to be completed by late April or early May.
According to Smith, that timeline became unrealistic when, in March, the Department of Corrections barred outsiders from visiting the state's prisons in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. "One of the primary tasks was to be able to interview various people, to see the facilities, to observe, to interview, and obviously we couldn't do that with the crisis that hit," the secretary said.
Tags: Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility , Department of Corrections , Mike Smith , Jim Baker , Tristram Coffin , Alice Emmons , Dick Sears , Web Only , Image
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Taylor, who is also the chief of the city fire department, will retire from both positions on December 31. The transition plan calls for division commanders to begin assuming some leadership duties in the months ahead, city manager Dominic Cloud told Seven Days on Tuesday. If the city is able to hire a new chief before the end of the year, Taylor will assume other duties until his retirement date.
"This was very much a voluntary transition on the chief's part," Cloud said. "I think in his gut, he began to see it was time to bring in new leadership."
Tags: Gary Taylor , Dominic Cloud , St Albans Police Department , Web Only , Image
Friday, April 24, 2020
Ridin' High owner John Van Hazinga, jailed for dealing pot from his Burlington skate shop, was released this week over concerns about the coronavirus outbreak at the prison where he was confined.
Van Hazinga was awaiting sentencing on a federal drug charge at Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans when signs of outbreak emerged on April 1. He asked a federal judge to release him pending sentencing the following day.
Tags: John Van Hazinga , Northwest State Correctional Facility , Michael Hayes , Jim Baker , Department of Corrections , Coronavirus , COVID-19 , Web Only , Image
Thursday, April 23, 2020
In a lengthy statement released Thursday, Mayor Tim Smith continued to defend the department and longtime Chief Gary Taylor, who he said has "transformed" the force in recent years. Smith also detailed the existing "recruitment gauntlet" that would-be cops must pass. But the weekend arrest of officer Zachary Pigeon for sexual assault, kidnapping and other charges suggested that further changes are needed, Smith wrote.
"The Pigeon allegations indicate that we also need to increase the effectiveness of our recruitment and selection programs and ensure we are providing the training that reflects our values," the statement said.
Tags: St. Albans Police Department , City of St Albans , Tim Smith , Gary Taylor , Zachary Pigeon , Jason Lawton , Web Only , Image
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Zachary Pigeon, 29, and his 56-year-old father Allen Pigeon were arrested Sunday and pleaded not guilty in state court Monday to charges of kidnapping, unlawful restraint, obstruction of justice, burglary and simple assault. Zachary Pigeon will be arraigned again Wednesday on charges of sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault, prosecutors said.
A Vermont Superior Court judge released both men on Monday pending trial. They each face up to life in prison.
Tags: Zachary Pigeon , Allen Pigeon , St Albans Police Department , Gary Taylor , Michael Ferguson , Mark Schwartz , Jason Lawton , Joel Daugreilh , Web Only , Image
Friday, March 27, 2020
"We're really worried about people stuck in these households with their abusers and no other outlet," said Karen Tronsgard-Scott, executive director of the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Prior to the pandemic, according to Steps to End Domestic Violence interim executive director Ana Burke, "If an abuser was off at work, it would give someone several hours of reprieve to do some safety planning — possibly to leave. But now that everyone's at home, some people may be in situations where their abuser is home all day, all night."
Burke's Burlington-based organization and 14 others that serve survivors throughout the state remain open. But each has had to adapt to public health regulations to ensure that staff and clients practice appropriate social distancing. In some cases that has involved moving residents of the shelters they run to hotels and motels, according to Sarah Robinson of the Vermont Network.
Serving those who are stuck inside with their abuser "has proven to be very complicated," according to Nadia Lucchin, executive director of the Bennington-based Project Against Violent Encounters. "We are increasing our outreach efforts via social media and checking in much more frequently with survivors in emergency shelter," she said.
Tags: domestic violence , coronavirus , Karen Tronsgard-Scott , Ana Burke , Sarah Robinson , Nadia Lucchin , Amanda Cochrane , David D'Amora , Rory Thibault , Sarah George , Web Only , Image
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Sen. Dick Sears (D-Bennington), the bill’s sponsor, said the idea is part of a nationwide movement toward a criminal justice system that recognizes the "risk of the individual rather than the offense."
"As horrible as murder is, and certainly consequences should be severe, there are certain folks that do commit murders who may not be [as much of] a risk to reoffend as other people who commit other heinous crimes," Sears said.
Tags: life without parole , criminal justice , Sen. Dick Sears , murder , Web Only , Image