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By Michael Donoghue
Vermont News First
A former high-profile U.S. Attorney for Vermont was found with a handgun trying to enter a state courthouse recently in Brattleboro, but officials are trying to keep the information from the public, Vermont News First has learned.
Christina E. Nolan, 45, arrived at the Vermont Superior Court in Brattleboro and during the process of getting screened, security determined she had a firearm, according to a source familiar with the incident, but not authorized to speak by name on the case.
The Brattleboro Reformer also was able to confirm the gun story, but said most people were unwilling to speak publicly about the incident, including Windham County State’s Attorney Steven M. Brown Jr.
The newspaper reported Brown, who was appointed in November 2024, said he considered the Nolan case to be in a pre-charge phase and believed he was unable to speak about it.
Brown reportedly had offered Nolan a chance to go through the Court Diversion Program, but she apparently declined.
Vermont law prohibits people from knowingly carrying firearms and other dangerous weapons into state courthouses. The potential penalty is up to one year in prison and up to a $500 fine.
Nolan did not respond to phone and text messages. She is now a principal with the Burlington law firm Sheehey Furlong and Behm.
Chief Superior Court Judge Thomas Zonay and Vermont Chief Court Administrator Teri Corsones both failed to return phone or text messages from Vermont News First.
Rob Schell, the chief of security for the Vermont Judiciary, also did not respond to inquiries.
Nolan could find herself soon as the boss to Zonay, Corsones and Schell if she is successful in getting appointed to the Vermont Supreme Court.
Nolan’s name has been circulated recently to possibly fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Vermont Supreme Court Justice Karen Carroll, 62, of Vernon. Carroll is stepping down this month and an announcement on her replacement is due shortly from Gov. Phil Scott. She spent 12 years on the trial bench and 8 years at the Supreme Court.
While trying to fill the Carroll seat, Gov. Scott now will have a second vacancy on the high court to replace. Associate Justice William D. Cohen, 68, of Rutland has announced he is retiring in December after 16 years on the bench, including 6 years on the high court.
Nolan also has been mentioned as possibly returning to her old job in charge at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Vermont.
The private security firm that works at the courthouse in Brattleboro called town police to handle the gun case instead of the Windham County Sheriff’s Department, according to Sheriff Mark Anderson. His office normally deals with people bringing dangerous items into the courthouse, he told the Brattleboro Reformer.
Brattleboro Police were referring inquiries to Brown, according to the newspaper.
As the U.S. Attorney for Vermont, Nolan put a high priority on prosecuting federal cases involving the illegal possession and purchase of firearms. She also handled drug trafficking, organized crime and child exploitation cases.
Her office also was involved in embezzlement and fraud cases, including the largest charged case in Vermont history relating to the EB-5/Jay Peak financial scandal in the Northeast Kingdom.
Nolan often found herself at odds with Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sara George, often filing federal charges when no state charges were being pursued.
Nolan is a native Vermonter, and graduated from Rice Memorial High School, where she is in the Athletic Hall of Fame. She worked at the U.S. Attorney’s office as an assistant prosecutor in the criminal division from 2010 to 2017.
She took over the office from November 2017 to March 2021 after getting the appointment from President Donald J. Trump following the bipartisan recommendation of U.S. Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt. and Republican Gov. Phil Scott.
Nolan was approved unanimously by the U.S. Senate. She was the first woman to ever serve as U.S. Attorney for Vermont.
This story will be updated when officials respond to inquiries.
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Categories: Crime, Uncategorized
I wonder is this more a statement of Nolan’s character – it has been stellar – or a statement of how unsafe Brattleboro has become. I lean towards the later, having heard comments from several in that region. Brattleboro or Burlington which is worse?
It sounds like an honest mistake, but I’m afraid there wouldn’t be as much accolades about a “little person” that made the same mistake. Lady Justice has a blindfold on for a reason. When I had jury duty I made sure my nail clippers and my one inch Swiss Army knife were left at home.
Really, I forgot I was carrying a gun, or are you willing to overlook it considering who I am? Come on! Have you ever gone through security at a courthouse? It’s as thorough as the TSA, and for good reason.
Was she there as legal counsel in a case? The reason for her visit might provide some context.
Christina Nolan with a gun is no threat to the public…rather she would be an asset. Likely just a simple mistake and she had no INTENTION of attempting to pass a gun where one would be prohibited. With all the left wing/antifa/hamas-loving nutcases running amok, why would she travel around without an “equalizer”.
The real question is, can a U. S. attorney for Vermont carry a firearm into a court house????? Nolan is just another lawyer at this present time and should have known that security would searched her. Wonder why nobody wants to talk about this event??????? Comment from Richard Day.
I work security at a courthouse; this is not a criminal case
My bet is there are more serious crimes going on inside the Brattleboro Court House than a former Federal prosecutor carrrying a pistol. Between the inlaws and outlaws running the show there and within city hall, their reputation for ethics and following the law is pretty bad – yet, they continue and protect the syndicate with impunity.
Question is whether she is on pleasant terms with the AG, if not could see jail time
Here is the quandary faced by law enforcement, especially civilians out of uniform; they have real enemies who are bad guys with guns…
If Nolan carries a personal protection device of any type (stun gun, pepper spray or handgun) she is well within her VT and US Cosntitutional Rights. If she forgot it was on her person and traditionally disarms at her vehicle and this was a simple case of forgivable forgetfulness then LET IT GO! ITS NOT A COVER UP AND EVERYONE WHO MAKES A SIMILAR HONEST MISTAKE SHOULD BE OFFERED THE CHANCE TO RETURN AND SAFELY SECURE THE WEAPON ELSEHWERE (as in the vehicle).
If anyone suggesting a double standard for her in either direction SHAME IN YOU! AND SHAME O. THE REPORTER FOR NOT POINTING OUT HER REALITY AS A FORMER PROSECUTOR HAVING REAL ENEMIES.
For those of us who have to navigate the increasing byzantine legal obstacles to our Natural God Given Rights to Self-Defense I say Good for you Nolan…. And all of us should Carry Openly as often as we see fit fo desensitized our fellow “vermonters” from this tyranny.
I tried to say the same thing except mysteriously my comment was blocked.
This lawyer should have her license revoked, and spend some time in prison.
Of course some people have never made a mistake, especially democrats.
This is a non story. Hold the gun while she is in the building, return it when she leaves. Just having a gun is not wrong, it is good.
That’s right, because all the advanced nations with a much lower gun-per-capita rate than us are much more violent! And they feel much less free! Ask them. Or, did I get that backwards? Hmmm, are we just born worse people then? Or maybe maybe God is mad because his kid was “woke” and it infected a bunch of folks? Well, maybe Jesus will come back, and the modern version of the right wing Roman Centurian troops who killed him the first time, will want that woke sucker dead again! (ICE or such maybe?)
As a citizen gun owner, I’m expected to know where I can and cannot take my firearm, with courthouses, hospitals, schools, and airports being top of the list. For her, who spent a major portion of a career in law, I would expect her to be totally on the ball about when and where she is carrying her firearm, and to anticipate, almost by reflex, that she would be searched upon entering the courthouse and so would be ready. IMO, an “simple oversight” like this, for her professional position, is on par with a parent forgetting they left a child or pet locked in the car on a hot day.
She may not have been carrying it and it may have been in a briefcase or bag. Sure let’s make the former VT State’s Attorney a felon. That really solves a lot. The article does not say where the firearm was discovered. Like noted above some people have never made a mistake or forgotten anything when in a hurry or with other things on their mind, right?
“IMO, an “simple oversight” like this, for her professional position, is on par with a parent forgetting they left a child or pet locked in the car on a hot day.”
Let’s not forget that terribly tragic day that a Dr. left her baby in the car and went to work and the baby died (Milton, VT a couple or so years ago) …$h!+ happens, let’s not be too quick to judge, it could be you or me next time!
She may be pushing for more gun rights for public people for their own protection and getting arrested allows for that process to unfold and be vetted. or she forgot and ask her to return it to a safe place before opening. Because it’s former Trump appt TDS begins to show it’s ugly head. My suspicion is she had a reason with her knowledge of the Judicial system.
There’s more to this than meets the eye. Nolan is decent individual, possesses a great love for Vermont, has great intellect, and is a proponent of our sacred Constitution.
Needless to say, the propaganda press of VT believes they’ve got her good and can finally enact revenge against her for having the colossal goal to have taken on the Communists of the old Green Mountain State and pose challenges to their Stalinist positions.
This is another good reason you need to stay out of the court system, hospitals, schools, airports and any other areas that violate your rights to self protection. The list now is getting too long. Comment from Richard Day.
Hard to say, every now and then we all just forget $h!+. I have once forgot I was carrying, but remembered before it was too late. I’m pretty acutely aware when I’m going to those highly prohibitive places. I have NO issue that she was carrying, did she forget or did she have another reason…who knows, I’ll lean towards forgetting. I don’t know about y’all but when packing is literally part of getting dressed, it’s plausible one would forget.
I carry a knife and a Tazer and have forgotten them different coats etc. especially in a hurry
She has spent a lifetime on the right side of the law. No doubt she has made many enemies along the way in her life of prosecuting the laws of our nation. I don’t see a big problem here. If she is a possible supreme court judge wielding enormous
power I think we can trust her with a pistol for her personal protection.
It would be interesting to know what the conversation (if any) was between Christina and the guard.
Does anyone think that Nolan thought that she could sneak by the guard with the gun undetected? nope – no one.