Domestic & Sexual Violence: Recent Headlines

Teacher who spoke out on sex abuse loses job

2008-10-23T20:11:54Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that Chuck Laramie, an English and history teacher at the the Park Street Program, a Rutland alternative school for juvenile sex offenders, "was removed from his job in September, just weeks after testifying to a legislative committee about the likelihood that offenders will commit new crimes." An official with the Howard Center official said that "Laramie's positions were 'very much interfering' with the mission of the Park Street Program." Notably, "Laramie was placed on leave September 19, two days after the program got a letter from its funding source, the Burlington-based Howard Center, saying he should be dismissed." In response, some Vermont lawmakers have expressed "concern that the treatment of Laramie will place a chilling effect on the willingness of others to testify to legislative committees."

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State could lose money if it doesn't change sex registry

2008-10-22T12:52:44Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that Vermont "could lose up to $35,000 in federal funding if it doesn't expand its online sex offender registry" under the 2006 Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act which "seeks to unify Internet registry standards across all 50 states." Currently, "Vermont reserves its Internet registry for the more serious sex offenders," but "the Adam Walsh Act would require all of the state's 2,400 offenders to be listed online." This would mean adding about 2,000 names to Vermont's list. According to state officials, that "change could cost up to $3 million in additional legal fees" because an expanded registry could make offenders "less likely to reach plea deals, driving up legal fees."

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Supreme Court to hear Vermont domestic violence case

2008-10-02T19:40:09Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that the U.S. Supreme Court will "hear a Vermont prosecutor's appeal in the case of a domestic assault suspect whose conviction was thrown out because it took a court three years to hear his case." Indeed, "the high court will hear oral arguments in State v. Brillon, which stemmed from the 2004 trial of Michael Brillon." Brillon "was sentenced to 12 to 20 years in prison. In March, the Vermont Supreme Court overturned his conviction, saying his public defenders failed to get him a speedy trial." Because "the state court refused to reconsider the decision.,"the "Bennington County's prosecutor appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying the delays were caused by Brillon and his lawyer."

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