GRAND ISLE, Vt. (WCAX) – The three-day assault trial against a Vermont sheriff concluded Wednesday night with a hung jury, but prosecutors plan to press on with a re-trial.
After hours of testimony, the jury took just under six hours to decide that they were deadlocked, and so the case against Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore continues.
“At this point, I honestly have no frustration. I appreciate every person on that jury and I appreciate everybody that remains steadfast in what they believe the verdict should be,” said Grand Isle State’s Attorney Doug DiSabito.
The case was centered around a video from 2022 featuring the then captain — now Sheriff Grismore — kicking a handcuffed detainee. During the trial, the state argued Grismore — who was off duty at the time — assaulted Jeremy Burrows.
Grismore, who testified in his own defense Wednesday, said he was demonstrating a police maneuver to help two less experienced deputies gain control of the situation. In a statement Thursday, Grismore thanked the jury, but added he was disappointed and concerned about the future of the case. “I fear that it may be impossible for any jury to reach agreement on the questions presented by my case and that further trials will result in the same outcome. The State has the choice to bring this to trial a second time and if that happens, I will continue to defend myself with the same energy and determination I have maintained through out,” he said
Vermont lawmakers last year launched an 11-month impeachment investigation but ended up dropping the matter in April after concluding that because the alleged assault took place before he was elected, the prospects of an impeachment conviction were unlikely.
Grismore has already lost his law enforcement credentials, but the 2022 incident doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. “We will continue and we will try this again,” DiSabito said.
When reached for comment, Burrows had no comment on the mistrial.