Office continues to meet its obligations

Embattled Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer checked himself into the Veterans Administration Medical Center in White River Junction this week, according to people following his legal and work issues.

The move came as Palmer is under fire on several fronts recently, including in Vermont Superior Court, where he denied seven criminal charges last week.

The reason for the hospitalization was unclear, according to those who had been told about it, but asked for confidentiality when speaking to the Vermont Standard. Palmer has publicly mentioned back problems in the past.

Veteran defense lawyer Dan Sedon of Chelsea, who represents Palmer, declined to comment on the hospitalization report.

Palmer has been under considerable pressure in recent weeks, and the Vermont Criminal Justice Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to temporarily strip the first-term county sheriff of his law enforcement certification.

The motion by the council came one day after the Windsor County legislative delegation sent a letter to Palmer, a Democrat, asking him to let others take control of his department until his case is resolved.

The letter, which was shared with the Vermont Standard newspaer, stopped short of asking for Palmer’s resignation. Governor Scott, however, during his weekly press conference, said the Sheriff should step down.

Palmer and Sedon, before the council meeting, said they did not object to the proposed action, according to Chris Perkett, the legal counsel for the council.

Sedon confirmed Palmer was willing to step back from his police work, but not resign.

Further impacting Palmer’s ability to do police work was a judge ordering the sheriff, during his arraignment, to refrain from possessing any firearms while his criminal charges are pending.

Palmer has said in writing, in media interviews, and during a department meeting last week that he has designated former longtime Chief Deputy Sheriff Claude Weyant to oversee the department while he focuses on his legal issues.

Palmer said his two lieutenants, Andy Leonard and Rick King, also would help Weyant.

Weyant told the Vermont Standard on Wednesday the sheriff’s department continues to do its regular duties “each and every day.”

He said prisoners are being transported, court papers are being served, security is being maintained at the courthouses, and the patrol contracts with local towns are being fulfilled by qualified deputy sheriffs.

The civilian staff at the sheriff’s office in Woodstock also continues to complete its work each day, said Weyant, who was chief deputy for 20 years and has 40 years of police experience.

He said the sheriff’s department operated properly when Palmer was gone for three months last year to a police management school in Kentucky.

“It’s busy as usual,” said Weyant, a former high school wrestling coach.

Sedon said Thursday it was his understanding that the sheriff’s department is “meeting all its duties.”

Sedon urged anybody with questions to call the sheriff’s office.

Palmer also has found himself attracting national media attention, including a story in People Magazine with a sensational, but questionable headline. The heading said in part, “Vt. Sheriff Allegedly Stalked Sex Workers After They Stopped Seeing Him.”

Officials tell the Vermont Standard there is no evidence that any of the four women in the criminal cases were or are sex workers. “We have no information that the women were involved in anything like this with anybody else,” said Vermont State Police Detective Sgt. David Robillard, the lead investigator in the case.

Sedon concurred.

The investigation into Palmer began as an inquiry into possible financial questions about his office, but soon began to focus on his relationships with four women, some of which were sexual, state police have said.

Palmer is free on court conditions, including that he have no contact and stay away from the four women.