2-23-10

WHILE IN COURT FOR A HEARING ON TIM ARBUCKLE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAND ANNOUNCED TO THE COURT TODAY THAT A NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEY WAS TAKING OVER THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE MURDER OF OUR SON, VINNIE.  SAND HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM ANY CASES INVOLVING OUR SON AND NO LONGER HAS ANY INVOLVEMENT IN THESE CASES! NEWS ARTICLE: (http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20100224/NEWS02/2240339/1003/NEWS02)

AFTER 17 MONTHS OF LIES, DECEIT AND THREATS.  AFTER ALL OF THE ANGUISH, HEARTBREAK  AND HUMILIATION, ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS WAS FINALLY REALIZED...THE OUSTER OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY ROBERT SAND FROM ANY INVOLVEMENT CONCERNING THE INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF THE MURDER OF OUR SON!

SAND'S EXPLANATION AS TO WHY HE WAS "STEPPING DOWN" WAS TO GIVE A NEW VOICE TO THE INVESTIGATION!  WHEN IN ACTUALITY IT WAS HIS VOICE THAT BROUGHT HIS OUSTER! DOES HE REALLY EXPECT US TO BELIEVE THAT HE IS STEPPING DOWN IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE? DOES HE EXPECT ANYONE TO BELIEVE THAT? NO! HIS BEING REMOVED WAS AN ADMISSION OF GUILT! AND I BELIEVE THE POWERS THAT BE FINALLY SAID "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"

HE CAN SAY ANYTHING HE WANTS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER. WHAT MATTERS IS THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS MAN AND THE HORRIFIC ORDEAL THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS PAST 16 MONTHS BECAUSE OF HIM! THIS MAN NEARLY DESTROYED US WITH THE AGONY AND HEARTBREAK HE HAS PUT MY ENTIRE FAMILY THROUGH! HE IS A HEARTLESS, COLDBLOODED PERSON THAT HAS NO BUSINESS BEING IN THE POSITION HE IS IN.  I HOPE THE GOOD PEOPLE OF VERMONT REMEMBER HIM AND THE HUMILIATION HE HAS BROUGHT TO  THEM COME ELECTION TIME.

BUT, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, SAND DOES NOT MATTER TO US. WHAT DOES MATTER IS GETTING JUSTICE FOR VINNIE!  I KNOW WE HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN. TO RELIVE THE ANGUISH AND HEARTBREAK OVER AND OVER. THE DIFFERENCE THIS TIME IS THAT THERE MAY, FINALLY, BE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!  

STATE'S ATTORNEY JOHN LAVOIE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO OUR CASE. FROM WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED ATTORNEY LAVOIE IS A TOUGH, HONEST PROSECUTOR.  A MAN THAT GOES BY THE EVIDENCE AND FACTS OF THE CASE AND ACTS ON THEM TO GET THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE  ALLOWED. THE KEY WORD FOR US WAS "HONEST!" THAT IS ALL WE'VE EVER ASKED FOR. AN HONEST PERSON THAT WILL ACT ON THE EVIDENCE AT HAND! ALL OF THE EVIDENCE. TO BRING THE PROPER CHARGES TO THE PEOPLE THAT DESERVE TO BE CHARGED AND FIGHT TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITIES FOR JUSTICE!  JUSTICE, NOT THE DEFENDANTS!

 NOW, WE ARE NOT NAIVE ENOUGH TO THINK THAT PROSECUTOR LAVOIE IS GOING TO COME IN AND ALL THINGS WILL BE RIGHT.  NO, WE UNDERSTAND THAT DUE TO SAND'S ACTIONS ATTORNEY LAVOIE HAS HIS WORK CUT OUT FOR HIM. BUT WE AND OUR ATTORNEY, TIM BRADL, FULLY INTEND TO WORK WITH MR. LAVOIE.  TO ASSIST HIM IN ANY WAY WE CAN.

 SAND ONCE TOLD US THAT "NO PROSECUTOR IN THIS STATE WILL TAKE THIS CASE. IF I AM TAKEN OFF THIS CASE CHARGES WILL SIMPLY DISAPPEAR!" WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ATTORNEY LAVOIE! UNTIL WE LEARN DIFFERENT MR. LAVOIE CAN EXPECT OUR FULL COOPERATION! THAT INCLUDES SHARING WITH HIM EVIDENCE WE HAVE COMPILED OURSELVES  FROM OUR OWN PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS. EVIDENCE THAT WE DARED NOT SHARE WITH SAND. IN RETURN ALL WE ASK IS THAT ATTORNEY LAVOIE RECIPROCATE AND BE AS HONEST AND OPEN WITH US AS WE ARE WITH HIM.

IF SO, I BELIEVE THAT JUSTICE WILL FINALLY BE SERVED AND ALL THOSE INVOLVED WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND ATTORNEY LAVOIE, THROUGH HIS EFFORTS,  WILL RESTORE HONOR AND INTEGRITY BACK TO VERMONT IN THE EYES OF THE WORLD AND REGAIN THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE.