THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS THE HIGHEST OFFICEHOLDER IN THE JURISDICTION'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT. A PERSON OF HONOR, INTEGRITY AND PRIDE. A PERSON THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND, THAT THEY HAVE SWORN TO PROTECT, LOOK UP TO WITH PRIDE AND ADMIRATION. THE POSITION OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS ONE OF GREAT PRIDE AND CONVICTION. THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD, DECENT PEOPLE THAT HOLD THAT OFFICE. HONEST PEOPLE THAT STAND BY THE OATH THEY TOOK.  PROUD PEOPLE WHO SERVE THE CITIZENS WITH HONOR AND COMPASSION! WHO MAKES THE SAFETY OF THEIR CITIZENS THEIR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

THEN THERE IS THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE. THERE IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY THAT HAS NO REGARD FOR THE SACRED OATH HE TOOK. NO REGARD FOR THE LAWS HE HAS SWORN TO UPHOLD. A PERSON WITH NO HONOR, INTEGRITY OR PRIDE. WHO BELIEVES THE LAWS ARE FOR HIM TO USE FOR HIS OWN SELFISH NEEDS. WHO CARES NOT ABOUT INTEGRITY AND PRIDE. WHO USURPS THE POWER OF HIS OFFICE AND CARES NOTHING FOR THE PEOPLE HE HAS SWORN TO PROTECT! WHO PLAYS GOD AND PASSES JUDGEMENT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN RULES. TO SUIT HIS OWN SELFISH NEEDS.

THIS MAN IS VERMONT DISTRICT ATTORNEY ROBERT SAND! A MAN WITH NO HONOR OR INTEGRITY. WHO SACRIFICES HIS OWN PEOPLE TO SATISFY HIS OWN PERSONAL AGENDA. ROBERT SAND SACRIFICED MY SON AND RELEASED MURDERERS BACK ONTO THE POPULATION. HE DESTROYED THE INTEGRITY OF HIS OFFICE. AND FOR WHAT? FOR DRUG DEALERS? HE SACRIFICED MY SON'S LIFE TO GET INFORMANTS! SAND PUT MY SON'S LIFE BELOW THE IMPORTANCE OF DRUGS! SINCE WHEN ARE DRUGS EVER MORE IMPORTANT THAN SOMEONE'S LIFE? WHAT KIND OF MAN DESTROYS FAMILIES TO FURTHER HIS OWN AGENDA? A MAN WITH NO SHAME, NO INTEGRITY, NO HONOR! A MAN LIKE ROBERT SAND.

VINNIE'S DEATH WAS A MEANS BY WHICH SAND COULD FURTHER HIS POLITICAL AMBITIONS. IT WOULD BE SIMPLE, OR SO SAND THOUGHT! WHAT CARE DID HE HAVE FOR VINNIE? THIS NOBODY FROM MASSACHUSETTS! AN OUT OF TOWNER! THIS INSIGNIFICANT PERSON THAT TRIED TO START LIFE ANEW IN A PLACE THAT HE LOVED. WHAT CARE DID HE HAVE FOR THE INTENSE ANGUISH WHICH HE WOULD PUT VINNIE'S FAMILY THROUGH. WHOSE CHARACTER SAND ADMITTED HE DID NOT CARE FOR, THOUGH HE NEVER MET VINNIE! HERE WAS A CHANCE TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK GOOD! A CHANCE TO FURTHER HIS POLITICAL  AMBITIONS. AFTER ALL, HE IS A DISTRICT ATTORNEY. A MAN OF POWER WHO, IN SAND'S OWN WORDS, ANSWERS TO NO ONE! WHO ARE WE TO CHALLENGE HIM? TO HIM WE WERE INSIGNIFICANT, MEANINGLESS. HE WOULD USE THE SANCTITY AND SECRECY OF THE GRAND JURY TO ENACT HIS SCHEME.

BY HIS OWN ADMISSION, AND THAT OF STATE POLICE COMMANDER L'ESPERANCE AND CAPTAIN ED LEDO, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME A GRAND JURY HAS BEEN USED FOR A MURDER! DISTRICT ATTORNEY JOHN LAVOIE ALSO SAID HE HAS NEVER USED THE GRAND JURY. WHY THEN DID SAND DECIDE TO USE THE GRAND JURY? THE REASON IS OBVIOUS. HE WAS GOING TO USE THE GRAND JURY TO HAVE THE CASE THROWN OUT. THEN HE COULD TELL US HE DID HIS JOB AND BLAME THE MEMBERS OF THE GRAND JURY FOR NOT BRINGING CHARGES! SAND BETRAYED THE MEMBERS OF THE GRAND JURY. USED THEM AS PAWNS! HE PUT THE BLAME SQUARELY ON THEM.

THAT WAY HE WOULD BE IN THE CLEAR WITH US AND WE WOULD GO QUIETLY AWAY TO SUFFER IN OUR GRIEF! BUT THERE WAS ONE THING SAND DID NOT ANTICIPATE. ONE THING HE COULD NOT FORESEE. THE ONE THING A MAN OF SAND'S CALIBER COULD NOT EVER FEEL. THE INTENSE LOVE AND DEVOTION THAT PARENTS HAVE FOR THEIR CHILD! HE COULD NEVER FORESEE THIS BECAUSE HE LACKS THESE QUALITIES! HE WAS ONLY THINKING OF HIS OWN SELFISH NEEDS. BUT THIS WAS OUR SON. A LIVING, BREATHING HUMAN BEING.

THERE IS A WELL KNOWN SAYING IN THE JUDICIAL CIRCLES, "YOU CAN INDICT A HAM SANDWICH IN A GRAND JURY!" OR IN SAND'S CASE, WORK IT AGAINST THE VICTIM! THIS IS BECAUSE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY CONTROLS EVERY ASPECT OF THE GRAND JURY. WHO TO CALL OR NOT CALL. WHAT EVIDENCE TO PRESENT OR WITHHOLD. IT IS AN ALMOST CERTAINTY FOR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO GET THE CHARGES HE WANTS!  OR DOESN'T WANT!

I HAVE MANY FRIENDS IN THE FIELD  OF JUSTICE. GOOD, HONEST PEOPLE. PEOPLE WITH INTEGRITY. POLICE OFFICERS, STATE POLICE, THE FBI AND DISTRICT ATTORNEYS BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL. EACH ONE SERVES WITH PRIDE AND DIGNITY. THEY TAKE THEIR OATH SERIOUSLY AND SERVE WITH HONOR! THEY WILL LEAVE BEHIND A LEGACY OF WHICH THERE IS NO SHAME. BUT WHO ARE EMBARRASSED AND ASHAMED AT THE CONDUCT OF ONE OF THEIR OWN!

ROBERT SAND BETRAYED THE OATH OF HIS OFFICE. BETRAYED HIS PEOPLE. BROUGHT SHAME AND RIDICULE TO THE STATE OF VERMONT. HE WILL BE FOREVER REMEMBERED FOR USING THE DEATH OF OUR SON FOR PERSONAL GAIN! THIS IS HIS LEGACY.  THIS IS THE SHAME OF ROBERT SAND...