Vermont’s top law enforcement officer says proposed state budget cuts
would have a devastating effect on his office, and could compromise
public safety.
The attorney general and most of the state’s prosecutors are in favor of
changes that would make it easier to prosecute sex crimes. We talk with Attorney General Bill Sorrell and
Bennington County State’s Attorney Erica Marthage about why they support
these reforms. And VPR’s Ross Sneyd joins us to analyze how the
candidates for governor are approaching this issue.
The Douglas
administration plan to freeze salaries for about 350 executive branch employees
who make more than $60,000 a year has prompted all but one of the
Vermont’s statewide elected officials to forgo raises in the coming fiscal
year.
According to Attorney General Bill Sorrell, police
officers in Brattleboro "blew
it" when they used Tasers on two peaceful protesters last summer. Sorrell says there’s definitely a place in law
enforcement for Tasers but the Brattleboro case isn’t one of them.
Attorney General Bill Sorrell has completed a study about
law enforcement’s use of Tasers and other non-deadly force; researchers say
children need the vitamins and minerals in milk, and they’re more likely to
drink it if it’s flavored with chocolate; more…
Vermont State police have identified the trooper who they say was
driving the patrol car that struck and killed a 22 year old Dover man early Sunday morning.
(Host) A group of state legislators says the governor has overstepped his authority. They say he should not have ordered state police to take significant marijuana cases in Windsor County to the attorney general for prosecution. VPR’s Ross Sneyd has more: (Sneyd) Thirteen lawmakers wrote to Governor Jim Douglas, criticizing him for stepping into a controversy involving Windsor County State’s Attorney Robert Sand. They want Douglas to rescind the order. They also want Attorney General Bill Sorrell to refuse to take the cases.