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By Guy Page
Citing the need for a fair trial, public defender Joshua O’Hara has filed a motion seeking to restrict the Burlington Police Department from making public statements calling for ‘habitual offender’ status about his client, Michael Reynolds, according to a January 7 Seven Days news report.
State’s Attorney Sarah George supports the motion, O’Hara claimed. A joint filing by both defense lawyer and prosecutor is expected soon, he said.
Reynolds, a Burlington-area transient, has 1,850 police interactions and multiple convictions. He has 51 convictions, including six felonies. Following his last arrest he was jailed, facing several criminal charges. O’Hara’s motion, submitted earlier this week, argues that recent public comments made by Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad could jeopardize Reynolds’ ability to receive a fair trial.
“Chief Murad’s statements have the potential to prejudice public opinion and influence the outcome of my client’s cases,” O’Hara stated in the Seven Days news story. “The right to a fair trial is a cornerstone of our justice system, and it is imperative that external influences do not undermine this right.”
The motion highlights several remarks made by Chief Murad during recent press briefings, which O’Hara claims have cast Reynolds in an unfairly negative light. While the specific content of Murad’s statements was not detailed in the motion, O’Hara asserts that the commentary could sway potential jurors and taint the judicial process.
Chief Murad has yet to respond publicly to the motion, but the Burlington Police Department has maintained that their communications are aimed at keeping the public informed about community safety issues.
In a December 30 statement, Murad says it’s time to impose the ‘habitual offender’ status on the man who on December 27 refused to leave the UVM Medical Center and assaulted guards and patients when asked to do so.
“He has harmed huge numbers of people; he routinely endangers himself and others; and Burlington’s officers deal with him more than any other person. He has exhausted outlets of charity, treatment, or relief, and burned bridges with entities that seek to help the disadvantaged,” Murad said in a police statement.
A lightly edited version of the December police statement appears below.
‘On December 27, at about 5:56 pm, officers with the BPD were dispatched to the University of Vermont Medical Center for a report that Reynolds was refusing to leave the hospital premises and trying to assault hospital security guards and other patients at the hospital grounds. Callers reported and dispatch confirmed that Reynolds has an active notice of trespass from the hospital.
‘When officers arrived on scene, Reynolds was taken into custody for unlawful trespass. While officers searched Reynolds, dispatch advised that an additional report was just received regarding a burglary on Colchester Avenue. Further investigation revealed, just prior to this incident, Reynolds burglarized a residence on Colchester Avenue. The victim came out of his shower to find Reynolds hiding in a closet. When confronted he left. In addition to unlawful trespass, Reynolds was taken into custody for burglary. He was lodged at Northwest State Correctional Facility for lack of $1,000 bail.
‘Today, December 30, Reynolds appeared for court and was released on conditions. He has nearly 40 violations of court orders or conditions on file, and 10 failures to appear.
“‘Mr. Reynolds has half a dozen felony convictions and more than three dozen misdemeanor convictions,’ said Chief of Police Jon Murad. ‘He has more police encounters than anyone else in our records management system—more than 1,850 entries. More than 170 trespass notices have been filed against him by business proprietors, property owners, and social service providers. He has harmed huge numbers of people; he routinely endangers himself and others; and Burlington’s officers deal with him more than any other person. He has exhausted outlets of charity, treatment, or relief, and burned bridges with entities that seek to help the disadvantaged. We have an answer for this kind of violent, incorrigible, antisocial behavior: Vermont’s ‘habitual criminal’ statute. Our legislators enacted it for a reason. If Mr. Reynolds is convicted of this most recent felony, 13 V.S.A. 11 should be strongly considered.’’
The Vermont Legislature is expected to consider tightening bail and other criminal justice tools to reduce repeat appearances (and non-appearances) in court.
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Categories: Public Safety
Innocent till proven guilty…. Well maybe not, he has prejudiced his own case by being such a persistent a-hole.
This goes behind simple criminality but serves as a model failure of Burlington’s criminal justice system, mental health care, drug infused degradation, progressive politics, a willingness to put at risk the general public for those that bleed society …you name the poison, it is all wrapped up here for all to see.
It is ridiculous that Vermont’s habitual offender statute requires being charged with that as a separate offense. Once you reach a certain number of serious convictions, it should be off to the slammer for life. California tried 3 strikes, and there was such public sympathy for the poor sap whose third strike was “stealing a piece of pizza” that it was rescinded. Vermont should limit it to convictions for serious offenses only and we can then have a discussion about how many offenses should earn you the status of “habitual offender”. Currently, that limit is 10 or 20 offenses before the statute is even considered. It would be tough sledding to go there from what we have now…prosecutors and an attorney general who believe that “incarceration is obsolete”.
Sure…put the blame on everyone but the offender. How about letting the truth be told? If it prejudices the jury…so be it. He has done this to himself, (with the help of our ineffective judicial system) and his history needs to be considered just like any other fact in order to have a fair trial. How can a jury make an informed decision without all of the facts? It would be the same if the offender had no criminal history…do we not tell the jury that? Would that be considered prejudicial? Burlington is reaping what they have sown. They keep appointing the same bleeding heart prosecutors and attorney generals and they will keep the city full of the criminals and offenders that have ruined it. I have to wonder if the defense attorney, Mr. O’hara or Ms. George would feel the same towards Mr. Reynolds if they had been one of his victims. Couldn’t this motion be considered a violation of Chief Murad’s right to free speech? Looks like just one more example of how law enforcement in Vermont is restricted by our state government. Fingers crossed that the new Legislature will work to fix this mess and bring common sense back to our legal system.
Thank you JF. I am not able to state it better.
I will add-one more time-that there is a huge need in our prisons for mental health beds. That would include incarceration with the necessary mental evaluation and treatment. Actually, that is what a lot of such individuals are reaching out for. Maybe Ms. George should consider this and take it to the Legislators.
Guy, in the meantime is there anything that folks like myself can do to pursue this?
They have an ongoing Gag order, where they cannot say the word gang. Whatever you do, don’t let the public know Vermont is being overrun by criminal gangs coming into Vermont and dealing drugs. This is in addition to the cabal activities under the golden dome.
Throw that dirtbag in prison and throw away the key. Send Sarah George with him.
“1,850 police interactions and multiple convictions. He has 51 convictions, including six felonies” Okay, he has rights, I get it, but what about a human right to an expectation of safety in our everyday lives ? How is it that the right of one, supersedes the rights of literally everybody else ? Some people just don’t deserve to be allowed the rights that allow them to prey on others. That is why incarceration has been an accepted part of human existence since time immemorial. This guy has proven time and time again that he has no respect for others. So do we shuffle the deck and give him another 52 chances ? What will happen when he kills someone or himself ? Who will be to blame ? Society ? B.S. ! The blame comes down squarely on the shoulders of bleeding heart liberal fruitcake, prosecutors, and judges ! As I have stated before regarding so many other issues, where there are no consequences for malicious behavior, the status quo will continue. In this case, when prosecutors, and/or judges fail society, they should face the kind of justice that they should be handing out. A prosecutor, or judge that continually keeps allowing parasites to prey on an otherwise respectful society is no better than the criminal that he/she keeps turning out to prey upon society ! JMO
Reynolds, a Burlington-area transient, has 1,850 police interactions and multiple convictions. He has 51 convictions, including six felonies. Following his last arrest he was jailed, facing several criminal charges. O’Hara’s motion, submitted earlier this week, argues that recent public comments made by Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad could jeopardize Reynolds’ ability to receive a fair trial.
Fair trial, this POS needs to be locked up and the key thrown away, he’s had his chances, by the looks of this pathetic human specimen, but definitely needs help, and some bleeding heart lawyer and a sniveling State’s Attorney Sarah George and you wonder why crime is rampant in the state, and Burlington leads this fiasco !!
Wake up people.
“The motion highlights several remarks made by Chief Murad during recent press briefings, which O’Hara claims have cast Reynolds in an unfairly negative light.”
Yes, I get innocent until proven guilty. However, the comment about casting Reynolds in an “unfairly” negative light is ludicrous beyond the most outrageous and far-fetched satire. With the superlatives of his record, I think it would be nigh impossible to cast him in a fairly positive light.
But such is the mental disorder of cognitive dissonance: it denies objective reality, subjugating it to subjective and faddish notions.
It’s funny that if there is an accusation about a police officer, anyone can say anything and the press can report anything with no restrictions. But if a sociopath criminal with huge record the SA is concerned about public opinion. If she and the county SA did their jobs their would be no need for the Police Chief to say anything. They are the reason for so much criminality in Vt today. Ladies do your job and protect the l;aw abiding citizens of Vt not the criminals.
Looks like the police chief in Burlington will not be able to give press releases to the public. The judicial system is now on trial and does not want to be exposed for the fraud that they are.