An appeals court
has cleared the way for a trial of Michael Jacques, who is accused of
kidnapping and killing his 12-year-old niece. The court says
prosecutors can use evidence that Jacques tried to shift the blame to a
make-believe international sex ring.
There’s another delay in the trial of Michael
Jacques, who is accused of sexually assaulting and killing his
12-year-old niece.
The extra time is needed to resolve an appeal by
prosecutors, who object that some evidence they want to present about Jacques’
efforts to obstruct justice can’t be presented at trial.
Reporter Andy Bromage of Seven Days explains the rulings and the next steps in the criminal trial of Michael Jacques, the Randolph man accused of kidnapping, assaulting and murdering his 12-year-old niece.
Legislative committees would be given power to subpoena
witnesses under a bill approved by the state Senate. Under current law, the only way committees can force a
witness to testify is if the full Legislature approves a subpoena.
Sen. Patrick Leahy
says someone’s views on the death penalty won’t influence his decision whether
to nominate that person for the position of U.S. attorney serving Vermont.
A former probation
officer who supervised the repeat sex offender charged in the rape and killing
of a 12-year-old girl says he and his colleagues were given too little time and
too few resources to do an adequate job supervising probationers.