A Credible Response

Addressing the Failed Investigation

Within a month of the shooting we saw evidence that the State Police investigation then underway would not be fair. It was tainted by conflicts of interest and shrouded in excessive secrecy.

In late January of 2002 we called for a credible legal response at either the county or state level. We recommended that then Governer Howard Dean excercise his his authority to override the jurisdiction of the Windham county state's attourney and do either of the following:

appoint of a special prosecutor who does not have any ongoing relationships, professional or otherwise, with Brattleboro police officers, and who has experience in prosecuting police for brutality.

appoint a Select Commission of Inquiry with the power to subpoena records and witnesses, whose members represent a wide spectrum of interests in the community. Such a commission might include a member of the clergy, a doctor, a social scientist, a policeman, a Brattleboro official, an All Souls church member, and a friend or member of Woody's family.

Our demands for such an independent investigation were either ignored or rejected. In light of our findings of malfeasance in Sorrell's investigation, we have to re-consider the scope of the independent investigation called for. The jurisdiction of any credible investigation will have to include Sorrell himself.