https://soundcloud.com/vinntam/theyfakedthegrandjury

THE EVENTS YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ ARE TRUE. THEY ARE NOT MADE UP. THEY ARE THE ACTIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE JUDICIARY SYSTEM OF VERMONT. ACTIONS SO EGREGIOUS THAT YOU WILL FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN AMERICA. BUT TAKE HEED, IT IS HAPPENING AND IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU...

 FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT SAND WOULD NOT ANSWER OUR CALLS OR E-MAILS. FINALLY I CALLED THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND COMPLAINED. IT WAS ONLY THEN DID WE FINALLY GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM. I FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF SEVERAL HEARINGS THAT BOLASKI HAD. THEIR EXPLANATION OF WHY WE WEREN'T NOTIFIED WAS THAT THEY WERE ONLY STATUS HEARINGS AND DIDN'T THINK IT NECESSARY TO NOTIFY US.

I TOLD THEM THAT I DONT CARE WHAT THE HEARINGS ARE FOR, THAT IT IS UP TO US TO DECIDE IF WE WANT TO BE THERE OR NOT AND IN THE FUTURE TO NOTIFY US OF ANYTHING! IN ACTUALITY SAND HELD THOSE HEARINGS TO REDUCE BOLASKI'S BAIL AND TO SUPPRESS EVIDENCE THAT IS AGAINST ARBUCKLE.  HE DID THIS ALL BEHIND OUR BACKS!

 SEPTEMBER 16, 2008

WE HAD A MEETING WITH SAND AT 3PM IN HIS OFFICE AT 5 S. MAIN ST. WHITE RIVER JUNCTION. THERE WERE ME, RONNIE AND ATTORNEY FRANK M. THE MARQUIS ON HIS BUILDING WHERE HIS OFFICE IS SAID "NOW PLAYING WINNIE THE POOH!" WE WENT UPSTAIRS TO HIS OFFICE. IT WAS VERY SMALL. THERE WERE SAND, PAM WEIGEL OUR SUPPOSED ADVOCATE, A SECRETARY AND A YOUNG KID WHO I THOUGHT WAS LIKE A PERSON IN TRAINING BUT TURNED OUT TO BE HIS ASSISTANT, DAVID CAHILL. WE DID NOT FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS.

SAND DID NOT LOOK LIKE A DISTRICT ATTORNEY AT ALL. HE IS A SMALL MAN, VERY LOW KEY. ALMOST TO THE POINT OF TIMID. AND WHEN HE SPOKE THERE WAS NO SURETY IN HIS VOICE. THE FIRST QUESTION I ASKED WAS WHY NO ONE ELSE WAS ARRESTED? THE OTHER SHOOTER, THE MAN WHO KICKED VINNIE, THE OTHER MEN FOR CONSPIRACY OR JOINT VENTURE. ANYTHING. YET NO ONE WAS ARRESTED. SAND SAID HE WANTED TO GO THROUGH ALL THE EVIDENCE FIRST. HE SAID THERE WERE OVER 40 WITNESSES, STATEMENTS, RECORDINGS ETC. THAT HE NEEDED TO GO THROUGH. WE TALKED ABOUT EVENTS AND EVIDENCE. HE THEN TOLD US HE WAS BRINGING IT TO A GRAND JURY! THIS STUNNED ME! NO GRAND JURY WAS EVER HELD BEFORE IN VERMONT! THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST! WHY? THE EVIDENCE WAS OVERWHELMING. 

I ASKED IF THERE WAS SO MUCH EVIDENCE WHY BRING IT TO A GRAND JURY AT ALL? WHY NOT GO RIGHT TO TRIAL? SAND SAID THE REASON WHY HE CHOSE TO GO BEFORE A GRAND JURY FIRST WAS BECAUSE WHEN THE DEFENDANTS GET ON THE STAND THEY WILL NO DOUBT LIE AND THEN HE CAN GET THEM FOR PERJURY, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE AND REINFORCE THE MURDER CASE AND MAKE THE GUYS TURN ON EACH OTHER. HE ALSO SAID THAT THIS WAY HE CAN BRING ADDITIONAL CHARGES AGAINST BOLASKI AND THE OTHER GUYS.

i HAD A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS! WHEN WE WERE OUTSIDE FRANK TOLD ME THAT SAND IS GOING TO THROW THE CASE! HE SAID THAT HE IS BRINGING IT TO THE GRAND JURY SO HE CAN BAG IT AND BLAME IT ON THE JURY. FRANK SAID HE COULD TELL BY THE WAY SAND WAS TALKING AND HIS REASONING.  FRANK SAID THEY HAD PLENTY OF EVIDENCE AND DID NOT NEED TO BRING THIS TO A GRAND JURY.  MY HEART SANK! I BECAME SICK! I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT A DA WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON PURPOSE. I ASKED HIM WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT AND HE SAID NOTHING, UNTIL SAND MAKES HIS MOVE!

FRANK SAID TO PUT IN FOR THE VICTIM'S COMPENSATION MONEY TO SEE IF THEY PAY IT. IF THEY DO THEN HE MAY BE WRONG, WHICH HE DOESN'T BELIEVE HE IS. BUT IF THEY DON'T PAY THEN THEY ARE GOING TO PUT THE BLAME ON VINNIE AND HE WILL BAG THE CASE. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WAS POSSIBLE. I  MEAN, VINNIE WAS SHOT IN THE BACK AS HE WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY AND THEN THEY ALL BEAT HIM AS HE LAY HELPLESS. HOW COULD VINNIE BE BLAMED??

SO WE  APPLIED FOR THE FUND. ABOUT A WEEK OR SO LATER WE RECEIVED THEIR REPLY.  TO OUR HORROR FRANK WAS RIGHT! THEY TURNED US DOWN! THEY SAID VINNIE WAS TO BLAME AND SO WAS NOT ELIGIBLE!! THIS WAS INCREDIBLE, DESPICABLE. A COMPLETE FEELING OF DREAD CAME OVER US. THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING. HOW CAN THEY BAG THIS CASE ON PURPOSE? THEY TOOK AN OATH OF OFFICE TO DEFEND THE VICTIMS. THIS COULDN'T BE POSSIBLE!

TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THEM ASKING HOW THEIR SERVICE WAS TO US!! IT FELT LIKE WE WERE STABBED IN THE HEART AND THE KNIFE TWISTED IN IT! MY GOD, WHAT IS HAPPENING? CAN IT BE TRUE? ARE THEY GOING TO LET THESE MURDERERS WALK FREE? WE COULD ONLY WAIT FOR THE GRAND JURY AND HOPE THAT THE JURORS WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING.

GRAND JURY STARTS 11-17-08

VINNIE'S 3 MONTH ANNIVERSARY AND THE GRAND JURY STARTED. IT WAS TO LAST 4 DAYS. WE WERE NOT FEELING GOOD AT ALL. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE WERE TERRIFIED! I HAD A KNOT IN THE PIT OF MY STOMACH THAT WOULD NOT GO AWAY. THE JURORS WERE ALL FROM THE SAME AREA AS THE DEFENDANTS. SAND DID NOT ASK FOR A CHANGE OF VENUE! STILL, WITH THE EVIDENCE THERE WAS IT SHOULD BE A SLAM DUNK. AS THEY SAY "YOU CAN INDICT A HAM SANDWICH IN A GRAND JURY!" BECAUSE A DA CONTROLS EVERYTHING IN THE GRAND JURY!

JULIE TESTIFIED ON THE LAST DAY OF THE GRAND JURY. SHE SAID THAT ALL THE DEFENDANTS WERE BASHING VINNIE AND SAND WAS LETTING THEM. HELPING THEM! SHE SAID THAT SAND WOULD NOT LET HER MOTHER TESTIFY. THAT HE SENT HER HOME AFTER WAITING TO TESTIFY. WHY WOULD HE DO THAT? SHE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT WITNESS ABOUT EVENTS PRECEEDING THE MURDER. SAND LET ALL THE DEFENDANTS SPEAK ABOUT THOSE EVENTS BUT OMITTED A VERY IMPORTANT WITNESS FOR VINNIE! SHE WOULD HAVE TESTIFIED TO THE VIOLENCE OF THE MOB AND HER ASSAULT! SAND OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WANT THAT!

1-21-08 THE VERDICT

WE WERE VERY NERVOUS AND SCARED. THE VERDICT CAME IN AND WE WERE WAITING FOR A PHONE CALL TO TELL US WHAT HAPPENED. WE NEVER RECEIVED A CALL. INSTEAD SAND E-MAILED US! HE DID NOT EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO CALL AND TELL US PERSONALLY. THE FOLLOWING IS THE E-MAIL THAT WE RECEIVED:

Mr. Tamburello
I have mixed news for you having just returned from the Grand Jury. The Grand Jury met for 4 days and heard from approximately 20 witnesses. The Grand Jury was given a full range of charges to consider. They have returned the following indictments:

Aggravated Assault by Kyle Bolaski for striking Vinnie when he was down

Simple Assault by Tim Arbuckle for striking Vinnie when he was down

The Grand Jury did not indict Corey Bolaski and the Grand Jury did not indict Kyle Bolaski for a manslaughter or murder.

I intend to honor the decision of the Grand Jury and pursue the two charges:  Kyle Bolaski : Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and  Tim Arbuckle: Simple Assault

These charges will not be public until sometime next week but I wanted you to have this news.

I remain deeply sorry for your loss and hope you will find some justice from this outcome. I will be in the office Monday and Tuesday of next week and will gladly speak with you then if you would like.

Bobby

THIS  WAS HORRIBLE! JUST HORRIBLE! THIS COULDN'T BE HAPPENING! I CANNOT TELL YOU THE IMMENSE PAIN AND ANGUISH THAT WE FELT AT THAT MOMENT. ASSAULT? SIMPLE ASSAULT? BOLASKI MURDERED VINNIE WITH A SHOT TO THE BACK! THAT'S MURDER! AS STATED BY THE CORONER! ARBUCKLE KICKED VINNIE AS HE WAS DOWN. THAT'S AT LEAST ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON! NO ONE ELSE WAS INDICTED, AT ALL? THIS JUST WAS NOT POSSIBLE. NOT WITH THE EVIDENCE THEY HAD.  NOT EVEN FOR MANSLAUGHTER? NO, SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG! WE WERE HEARTBROKEN!

I CALLED SAND TO DEMAND AN EXPLANATION BUT HE WOULD NOT RETURN MY CALLS. SO I E-MAILED SAND AND LET HIM KNOW MY FEELINGS. EVEN THE CORONER SAID IT WAS A HOMICIDE FROM A SHOT IN THE BACK! THE STATE POLICE COMMANDER HAD SAID THEY GAVE SAND A GOOD, SOLID CASE FOR 2ND DEGREE MURDER! OUR WORST FEARS HAD COME TRUE. SAND HAD PURPOSELY THROWN THIS CASE! HE CONDONED THE SLAUGHTER OF MY SON!

THERE ARE STILL TWO OPTIONS FOR SAND. HE CAN CALL ANOTHER GRAND JURY OR HE CAN TAKE IT RIGHT TO TRIAL. BUT HE HAS OUTRIGHT REFUSED TO DO SO. BUT WHY? WHY WOULDN'T A DISTRICT ATTORNEY EXHAUST ALL OF HIS OPTIONS TO GET A MURDERER OFF THE STREETS? WHY WOULD HE LET THE SLAUGHTER OF MY SON GO UNPUNISHED? VINNIE NEVER HAD A CHANCE. SAND NEVER EVEN HAD THE DECENCY TO AT LEAST CALL ME AND TALK TO ME PERSONALLY. WE NEVER HEARD FROM HIM.

THEN ON 11-25-08 I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM PAM WEIGEL TELLING ME OF A HEARING FOR THE KILLER THAT VERY DAY. BUT SHE E-MAILED ME TOO LATE TO ATTEND! SHE HAD MY CELL PHONE BUT DID NOT CALL! IT IS OBVIOUS THEY ARE DELIBERATELY KEEPING US AWAY. SHE KNEW IT TOO BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE WOULD LET US KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. THEY KNEW WE COULD NOT MAKE IT. THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THAT E-MAIL:

Hi Vincent: 

 
I wanted to let you know that a status hearing has been put on the calendar for today at 3:30.  I will let you know what was discussed.

 WE HAD HAD ENOUGH. I DEMANDED A MEETING WITH SAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I WANTED ANSWERS AND WOULD NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER! THROUGH MUCH DIFFICULTY HE AGREED TO MEET WITH US ON 12-5-08. WE WERE FINALLY GOING FACE TO FACE WITH THE MAN THAT, ALL THE EVIDENCE POINTS TO THE FACT,  DELIBERATELY MISLED THE FACTS OF THE CASE. THAT ROBERT SAND HAD RIGGED THE GRAND JURY...