BURLINGTON, VT – A man from Chittenden County was facing sentencing in Burlington Superior Court this week for multiple charges, including first-degree aggravated domestic assault and unlawful restraint, after allegedly entering his children’s homes without permission and threatening to harm himself or them while surrounded by law enforcement.
At the beginning of the sentencing, an expert witness elaborated on the benefits of an outpatient program, called Seneca Center Outpatient-Psychiatry, through University of Vermont Medical (UVM) hospital that has been running for a year thus far.
An expert witness elaborated on the gravity of the accused’s mental illnesses, expanding upon his childhood trauma of his relationship with his father, sexual abuse, molestation, self-harm, depression and substance abuse.
However, the judge stated the comments made about his trauma, during a previous forensic report, minimized this trauma, and the accused made it seem as though he wasn’t as traumatized because he did not display signs of PTSD or nightmares.
The judge argued this could be motivated, considering the time of the screening and how this was done, not right away, but into the process.
The expert witness said the accused could benefit from intensive mental health treatment and that this path could stabilize him, coming out of incarceration. However, the state’s attorney asked a few questions, and it was concluded that this program has only been in service for one year and has so far only had one client graduate.
The prosecution argued for a sentence of two to eight years, stating the RCCA (root cause corrective action) program would provide structured support during incarceration. However, when questioned by the judge, the state was unable to provide concrete data demonstrating RCCA’s effectiveness.
The prosecution insisted it is unfair the victims and children will live and remain in Chittenden County, and if the Seneca program is approved, this will not promise safety for the victims and children.
The accused was sent back to custody without the judge making a ruling.
