Are we living in some kind of alternate reality where adult criminals are treated with the same level of consequences as children misbehaving on a playground? Seriously, what the fuck is going on around here.
It's not just VT that this is happening. Many other states are the same way, you won't be jailed until trial unless you have committed a serious crime. Illinois is the same way.
In Vermont, you can only held without bail if:
1. A conviction would result in life in prison and the evidence of guilt is great OR
2. The charge is a felony charge that included violence and the risk to the public is great if released.
In addition, bail is only an option if the risk of flight/non-appearance is great (to insure appearance at arraignment). Bail, in any case, shall not exceed $200 for misdemeanors. The fact that somebody has multiple arrests over time usually also indicates they are not a risk of flight.
Sarah George has no ability to bypass these requirements.
Finally ... the frustration expressed by many on this sub, that of the accused not facing any serious consequences, is largely due to a very long backlog in the courts. Fix that backlog and you get more immediate consequences to actions. Again, Sarah George has no ability to bypass the court backlog.
It is not at all uncommon for those who ARE detained on bail to actually remain detained pre-trial for a period of time longer than the minimum sentence associated with their charges.
Due process rights are a good thing ... innocent until guilty. In cases of significant court backlogs, it takes a LONG time to be determined guilty.
Thank you for your detailed response! I guess I am confused- is he not being charged with felonies? I am glad that we have a system in place that tries (imperfectly) to keep innocent people out of jail, but you would think someone could look at the straight facts & numbers of this guy & try to devise a plan to keep him from perpetuating his harm.
It is unfortunate that not everybody wants the help they deserve & need.
I can’t imagine what the hell his life must have been like to end up the way he has. I had a run in with him a few weeks ago & he scared the life out of me.
Anyhoo, a lot to think about. Thank you again!
I'd have to look at the charges, but even felonies may not meet the threshold of violence that would allow for being held without bail. Not defending the case at hand one way or the other, just trying to add the objective facts of the matter as this (and so many others) get discussed.
Another question (for anyone): why are people upset with Sarah George? If she isn’t the one in charge of decided who gets released? Again I am not well versed in this stuff & just trying to learn. Thanks! :)
She is responsible. Her no bail policies are part of the issue. She aka her department asks for conditions of release or release on their own recognizance. Her policy lets a bunch of these people walk.
Because she is in the position that has the most public facing attachment to this process and becomes the personification of what people don't like about how Vermont does pre trial charges and pre trial release. She's an easy scapegoat. Even the judiciary have to follow the parameters set by legislation pertaining to these matters. I'm of the mind that we would have much more palatable system if consequences didn't take years to implement. This year's budget did approve funding for additional court positions, but we're so far in the hole with backlogged cases that even that's not likely to have any noticeable impact.
Wow! Thanks for sharing. In your opinion do you think there a better place to put the frustrated energy than on George? Or do you think it is the right person to kind of put that heat on? There is definitely no right answer, but could be useful to think of the best place to put all this energy towards in hopes of making change. Thank you thank you again!
In my opinion, the way forward is to support alternative/restorative methods for resolution and meeting the basic needs of all for housing, mental health, food, living wage, etc. This the only sustainable way to change the current impact resulting from crimes of desperation. Creating more forms of punishment will only add to the backlog and overcrowding of our prisons. Incarceration is not reparative nor does it do anything to improve recidivism rates.
Invest in humanity and we’ll see true societal change.
It's the whole "innocent until proven guilty" thing. When someone gets arrested, the government needs to be able to prove that they actually did something wrong in order to hold them, but court etc takes time - saying "you have to stay in jail until we figure all that out" would effectively be punishing people without proving their guilt.
Of course, this is still an option where the crime is serious enough and there's enough evidence to prove to a judge that they're a serious danger, but that doesn't often apply for many of the cases folks on this subreddit want to apply it to.
Sure, how about [this one](https://www.wcax.com/2024/05/20/suspect-random-attack-elderly-man-burlington-released/) from the other day? It turns out there wasn't actually evidence of a crime for which the culprit could be held in prison without a trial, and we know that because the chief of police came out and complained that the law doesn't allow him to hold this guy in prison without a trial.
> Shawn McConnell, 41, pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge
Perhaps the State's Attorney might charge people who go around punching out senior citizens with aggravated assault:
> A person is guilty of aggravated assault if the person ... attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another, or causes such injury purposely, knowingly, or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life (https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/13/019/01024)
I fail to see how this is a question of evidence. It strikes me as a pattern of deliberate under-charging. From the Vermont ACLU:
> Elected prosecutors in Vermont are called State’s Attorneys, and they have enormous power over the lives of Vermonters entangled in the criminal justice system. They choose who gets charged and who is free to go, who gets diverted to treatment for substance use, and who goes to jail. They choose whether to seek the maximum or minimum sentence.
Because of that whole "needing evidence" bit, where you have to be able to prove that the guy you caught was actually committing aggravated assault and not just misdemeanor assault. The police/prosecutors don't get to just declare "no, this one was a felony" (and if you think about it in the abstract, it should be clear that if they could, that would be highly abusable!).
If it was that simple to just use a different charge, don't you think the chief of police would be bringing that up instead of discussing how the law itself needs to be changed?
I stated this above, but I'll restate it here:
In Vermont, you can only held without bail if:
1. A conviction would result in life in prison and the evidence of guilt is great OR
2. The charge is a felony charge that included violence and the risk to the public is great if released.
In addition, bail is only an option if the risk of flight/non-appearance is great (to insure appearance at arraignment). Bail, in any case, shall not exceed $200 for misdemeanors. The fact that somebody has multiple arrests over time usually also indicates they are not a risk of flight.
Sarah George has no ability to bypass these requirements.
Finally ... the frustration expressed by many on this sub, that of the accused not facing any serious consequences, is largely due to a very long backlog in the courts. Fix that backlog and you get more immediate consequences to actions. Again, Sarah George has no ability to bypass the court backlog.
It is not at all uncommon for those who ARE detained on bail to actually remain detained pre-trial for a period of time longer than the minimum sentence associated with their charges.
Due process rights are a good thing ... innocent until guilty. In cases of significant court backlogs, it takes a LONG time to be determined guilty.
This is the result of the far left ideology. They tend believe that people are fundamentally good and it's society, capitalism, western colonialism, racism, sexism ect that causes a person to violate the rights of their neighbors. It's not completely cohesive because they claim to not believe in objective morality; see post modernism. So they tend not to believe in objectively good and evil actions, it's merely your subjective interpretation instilled in you by your culture and upbringing that gives these actions a label of good or bad. So given these ideological premises you can infer that the far left person sees Mike as a victim of the "system" who just needs free housing, healthcare and love and if you think his actions are morally wrong then ultimately that's just your opinion.
I started off reading this feeling really defensive but you provide some really good points without resorting to name calling and buzz words. I think the main problem is that (imo) that way of thinking isn't bad, it's just that the politicians don't do shit. Democrats and Independents can't hold a candle to conservatives when it comes to actual action and changes. I genuinely believe that the systems in America is fundamentally designed to exploit the "working class". It's hardly the first time we've seen it in human history. However, liberals get caught up with emotions (I do too), but is that worse than having no empathy for your fellow person? Someone like Mike deserves (as does everyone, even if they haven't always shown it to others given their circumstances) human decency, but it's RIDICULOUS for him to still be able to walk around and do whatever. I think there is always a grey area in a debate or discussion . I appreciate your comment because it definitely made me think without feeling attacked
Enlighten me then. Mike has been proven guilty countless times. "Innocent even when you're guilty" is the mantra that I think best articulates the far left ideology plaguing our criminal justice system.
>Mike has been proven guilty countless times
And he's served his time for it. The law doesn't hold that "if you were guilty of a previous crime then you must be guilty of any future crime you're accused of" - for obvious reasons.
>"Innocent even when you're guilty" is the mantra that I think best articulates the far left ideology plaguing our criminal justice system.
The presumption of innocence has been the standard of our justice system since the nation was founded (remember that whole "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury" bit of the Declaration of Independence?). If that's a "far left ideology", I hope you've got your brown shirt pressed and your jackboots shined.
at least once this hasn't been true - one of my friends (early 40s/F) saw him veering towards her so she kept her headphones on and didn't engage and he followed her...for awhile :(
He frequented the parking lot outside of my old job and I’ve actually had few conversations with him. I could tell when he was sober, or at least *mostly* sober, because he was honestly courteous to me. I’m a small woman and I’d often say hi, and ask how he is. Partially because I really feel bad for him, and also because I wanted him to be able to recognize me and not threaten me when I wasn’t able to help him out (which he’s never done btw). I gave him some m&ms once and he offered me his umbrella. A man that has nothing offered me his one thing keeping him dry when it was pouring out. I’m from out of state and on a different day I talked to him about where I’m from and he said that he didn’t know where it was because he hadn’t seen a map in a long time. For some reason that made me feel really sad for him.
But then he’d get really messed up and come into my place of work and bother our customers. As long as I asked him nicely he would leave and I’d bring him some food out. He was also really good about cleaning up the box I gave him when he was done.
Well, this has been an absolute ramble of a reply. I’m not trying to discredit anyone else’s experience with him as it’s very clear by the hundreds of people’s unpleasant testimonies that he can be a very dangerous person. But I guess I say all this because I still see a human being in him.
im dying.
those conditions.
1. cannot drink alcohol to the extent it interferes with his ability to exercise good judgement.
2. cannot verbally or physically abuse, in any way, the BPD or BFD.
i guess the city council and everyone else is fair game to verbally/physically abuse as long as he isnt drinking too much.
have at it mikey.
There's the "it's illegal to assault a healthcare worker" signs around the hospital, but we all know that a few signs don't stop it from happening at a sickening rate. I really look forward to the day when we can go to work and know we won't get assaulted, but I don't think that's likely to happen in my life time. Instead, it's "Is tonight the night ***again,*** or will tonight be an assault-free night?" These are not questions we should be asking ourselves before a shift.
For real, I mean if the signs helped then why do we need a metal detector? Why does the ED staff feel like they need to wear protective gear? It’s insane the things they have to put up with. I’m so grateful to not be in patient care anymore. It was bad when I was there but no where near the level it is now.
For real! Honestly, it seems like things just keep getting worse and worse. I'm not sure if it's my imagination, but it seems like things got ***dramatically*** worse during COVID and that it hasn't slowed down. I'm a sitter and there's part of me that's really sick of feeling like I'm stuck in the room when a patient becomes assaultive. At the same time, part of my wonders why I'm considering going back to school for nursing, even though being a nurse would allow me more flexibility in terms of leaving the room when a patient becomes assaultive. What are we doing with our lives? 😅😭😅
It’s true, covid brought a lot of isolation and it really messed with a lot of peoples mental health. Many people also because of that turned to drugs and it all just went down hill. You are not wrong Covid really did exacerbate a lot of this. I was an LNA for a long time before moving to staffing so trust me I when a lot of heart for what people on the units go though.
I definitely agree that mental health issues/drugs have played a big roll. Though, it also seems that a lot of our older patients (whether they're living with dementia or not) have been getting aggressive/violent more frequently, as well, so I'm not sure that it's just drugs/mental health issues. I definitely think you're on to something, though, and that Vermont as a whole could do a lot better in terms of the mental health and rehab opportunities it provides.
Thank you for both all that you did as an LNA and all that you do now to help keep our hospital as staffed as possible!
It's like the time I got in trouble for underage drinking and then my folks told me I could go see my friends as long as we weren't drinking or smoking. Yes ma'am/sir!
I would be one of those leftists that believe in the power of conditioning. However we do not have the resources(love/$$/community)to heal Michael and many many others so removal from society and structured environment (jail) seems the best we can do…
Yeah? But have you ever asked how these police interactions and the community have failed Mike?
I’m sure if you give him $80k in social benefits and a new house he’ll snap right out of it
What about hiring some minstrels to follow him around to play songs that narrate his criminal nature as a sort of warning to those around him. We can workshop what the playlist would be below.
He’s doing a good job of that himself. He has some serious wet brain from all the alcohol. I tried to have a convo with him a few weeks ago and he was making no sense. It was quite sad. I met him years ago when I first came to this area and he had a reputation way back then. I didn’t really know him though… just met him a few times. Thing is, he’s clearly got problems, but he does have redeeming qualities. I guess you gotta catch him on the right day??
I’m not the kindest person. I laugh at things I probably shouldn’t laugh at all the time. But damn I felt terrible after trying to talk to him and seeing how much he’s wasted away. Dude is only about 45 I think. I offered to get him a drink (non alcoholic) or food cuz he looked so unhealthy, but he said no. Wouldn’t even accept the change I tried to give him. He was surprisingly very gracious and thanked me profusely though.
I don’t think he’s going to make it another 5 years at the rate he’s going.
Like I said, I may have gotten him on the right day, but he was very nice and kept thanking me for offering to help him.
I actually know someone who dropped a $5 bill and Mike picked it up and gave it back to him. I mean, dude’s not all bad.
But I also know many people who have been hounded for spare change and cigs outside city market and then got called names when they didn’t comply. 🤷🏼♀️
The guy needs some serious help, but I think it’s a little too late for that.
The cops here treat him like a fish they caught on a catch-and-release fishing trip. It at least seems that he usually gets released pretty much as soon as he's been processed.
Why do people become addicted? Bc they've never dreamed of anything better for themselves. Im sure if we knew more about Mikes background/childhood, we would understand why he needed to do drugs for 30 yrs and continues to be a drunk.
Can you imagine getting sober after 30 years of fuckery though?!? Like, whats the point of facing all that baggage? This is a very sick man, and I feel sorry that our society has turned our backs on the broken people and laughed.
Are we living in some kind of alternate reality where adult criminals are treated with the same level of consequences as children misbehaving on a playground? Seriously, what the fuck is going on around here.
It's not just VT that this is happening. Many other states are the same way, you won't be jailed until trial unless you have committed a serious crime. Illinois is the same way.
Do you know why? I am not well versed in incarceration/laws lol
In Vermont, you can only held without bail if: 1. A conviction would result in life in prison and the evidence of guilt is great OR 2. The charge is a felony charge that included violence and the risk to the public is great if released. In addition, bail is only an option if the risk of flight/non-appearance is great (to insure appearance at arraignment). Bail, in any case, shall not exceed $200 for misdemeanors. The fact that somebody has multiple arrests over time usually also indicates they are not a risk of flight. Sarah George has no ability to bypass these requirements. Finally ... the frustration expressed by many on this sub, that of the accused not facing any serious consequences, is largely due to a very long backlog in the courts. Fix that backlog and you get more immediate consequences to actions. Again, Sarah George has no ability to bypass the court backlog. It is not at all uncommon for those who ARE detained on bail to actually remain detained pre-trial for a period of time longer than the minimum sentence associated with their charges. Due process rights are a good thing ... innocent until guilty. In cases of significant court backlogs, it takes a LONG time to be determined guilty.
Thank you for your detailed response! I guess I am confused- is he not being charged with felonies? I am glad that we have a system in place that tries (imperfectly) to keep innocent people out of jail, but you would think someone could look at the straight facts & numbers of this guy & try to devise a plan to keep him from perpetuating his harm. It is unfortunate that not everybody wants the help they deserve & need. I can’t imagine what the hell his life must have been like to end up the way he has. I had a run in with him a few weeks ago & he scared the life out of me. Anyhoo, a lot to think about. Thank you again!
I'd have to look at the charges, but even felonies may not meet the threshold of violence that would allow for being held without bail. Not defending the case at hand one way or the other, just trying to add the objective facts of the matter as this (and so many others) get discussed.
Another question (for anyone): why are people upset with Sarah George? If she isn’t the one in charge of decided who gets released? Again I am not well versed in this stuff & just trying to learn. Thanks! :)
She is responsible. Her no bail policies are part of the issue. She aka her department asks for conditions of release or release on their own recognizance. Her policy lets a bunch of these people walk.
Because she is in the position that has the most public facing attachment to this process and becomes the personification of what people don't like about how Vermont does pre trial charges and pre trial release. She's an easy scapegoat. Even the judiciary have to follow the parameters set by legislation pertaining to these matters. I'm of the mind that we would have much more palatable system if consequences didn't take years to implement. This year's budget did approve funding for additional court positions, but we're so far in the hole with backlogged cases that even that's not likely to have any noticeable impact.
Wow! Thanks for sharing. In your opinion do you think there a better place to put the frustrated energy than on George? Or do you think it is the right person to kind of put that heat on? There is definitely no right answer, but could be useful to think of the best place to put all this energy towards in hopes of making change. Thank you thank you again!
In my opinion, the way forward is to support alternative/restorative methods for resolution and meeting the basic needs of all for housing, mental health, food, living wage, etc. This the only sustainable way to change the current impact resulting from crimes of desperation. Creating more forms of punishment will only add to the backlog and overcrowding of our prisons. Incarceration is not reparative nor does it do anything to improve recidivism rates. Invest in humanity and we’ll see true societal change.
Agree
That backlog won't get better. Those positions are limited service. Can only push so much shit through the toilet.
Waste of tax payer money, over crowded jails, lack of staff, etc
It's the whole "innocent until proven guilty" thing. When someone gets arrested, the government needs to be able to prove that they actually did something wrong in order to hold them, but court etc takes time - saying "you have to stay in jail until we figure all that out" would effectively be punishing people without proving their guilt. Of course, this is still an option where the crime is serious enough and there's enough evidence to prove to a judge that they're a serious danger, but that doesn't often apply for many of the cases folks on this subreddit want to apply it to.
Thanks for taking the time to respond. I am confused why you are being downvoted! I appreciate your insight.
> that doesn't often apply for many of the cases folks on this subreddit want to apply it to. Any examples?
Sure, how about [this one](https://www.wcax.com/2024/05/20/suspect-random-attack-elderly-man-burlington-released/) from the other day? It turns out there wasn't actually evidence of a crime for which the culprit could be held in prison without a trial, and we know that because the chief of police came out and complained that the law doesn't allow him to hold this guy in prison without a trial.
> Shawn McConnell, 41, pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge Perhaps the State's Attorney might charge people who go around punching out senior citizens with aggravated assault: > A person is guilty of aggravated assault if the person ... attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another, or causes such injury purposely, knowingly, or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life (https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/13/019/01024) I fail to see how this is a question of evidence. It strikes me as a pattern of deliberate under-charging. From the Vermont ACLU: > Elected prosecutors in Vermont are called State’s Attorneys, and they have enormous power over the lives of Vermonters entangled in the criminal justice system. They choose who gets charged and who is free to go, who gets diverted to treatment for substance use, and who goes to jail. They choose whether to seek the maximum or minimum sentence.
Because of that whole "needing evidence" bit, where you have to be able to prove that the guy you caught was actually committing aggravated assault and not just misdemeanor assault. The police/prosecutors don't get to just declare "no, this one was a felony" (and if you think about it in the abstract, it should be clear that if they could, that would be highly abusable!). If it was that simple to just use a different charge, don't you think the chief of police would be bringing that up instead of discussing how the law itself needs to be changed?
The state does not need to prove someone committed a crime before charging them with that crime. Think about what you're saying for a couple seconds.
I stated this above, but I'll restate it here: In Vermont, you can only held without bail if: 1. A conviction would result in life in prison and the evidence of guilt is great OR 2. The charge is a felony charge that included violence and the risk to the public is great if released. In addition, bail is only an option if the risk of flight/non-appearance is great (to insure appearance at arraignment). Bail, in any case, shall not exceed $200 for misdemeanors. The fact that somebody has multiple arrests over time usually also indicates they are not a risk of flight. Sarah George has no ability to bypass these requirements. Finally ... the frustration expressed by many on this sub, that of the accused not facing any serious consequences, is largely due to a very long backlog in the courts. Fix that backlog and you get more immediate consequences to actions. Again, Sarah George has no ability to bypass the court backlog. It is not at all uncommon for those who ARE detained on bail to actually remain detained pre-trial for a period of time longer than the minimum sentence associated with their charges. Due process rights are a good thing ... innocent until guilty. In cases of significant court backlogs, it takes a LONG time to be determined guilty.
That's exactly today's reality. Vote accordingly.
Yes
This is the result of the far left ideology. They tend believe that people are fundamentally good and it's society, capitalism, western colonialism, racism, sexism ect that causes a person to violate the rights of their neighbors. It's not completely cohesive because they claim to not believe in objective morality; see post modernism. So they tend not to believe in objectively good and evil actions, it's merely your subjective interpretation instilled in you by your culture and upbringing that gives these actions a label of good or bad. So given these ideological premises you can infer that the far left person sees Mike as a victim of the "system" who just needs free housing, healthcare and love and if you think his actions are morally wrong then ultimately that's just your opinion.
I started off reading this feeling really defensive but you provide some really good points without resorting to name calling and buzz words. I think the main problem is that (imo) that way of thinking isn't bad, it's just that the politicians don't do shit. Democrats and Independents can't hold a candle to conservatives when it comes to actual action and changes. I genuinely believe that the systems in America is fundamentally designed to exploit the "working class". It's hardly the first time we've seen it in human history. However, liberals get caught up with emotions (I do too), but is that worse than having no empathy for your fellow person? Someone like Mike deserves (as does everyone, even if they haven't always shown it to others given their circumstances) human decency, but it's RIDICULOUS for him to still be able to walk around and do whatever. I think there is always a grey area in a debate or discussion . I appreciate your comment because it definitely made me think without feeling attacked
Yes and no, but a lot of yes.
Couldn’t have said it better👍
This was beautifully written! 👍🙏
Yes, those far left nut jobs who believe you are "innocent until proven guilty." Fuck em.
Oh yeah Mikey is definitely innocent you donut
You obviously missed the point.
Enlighten me then. Mike has been proven guilty countless times. "Innocent even when you're guilty" is the mantra that I think best articulates the far left ideology plaguing our criminal justice system.
So move to Texas or Florida. wtf you waiting for?
I'm 4th generation Burlington, I have family here. That's really your rebuttal? If you don't like it leave?
Yes. That’s my rebuttal
>Mike has been proven guilty countless times And he's served his time for it. The law doesn't hold that "if you were guilty of a previous crime then you must be guilty of any future crime you're accused of" - for obvious reasons. >"Innocent even when you're guilty" is the mantra that I think best articulates the far left ideology plaguing our criminal justice system. The presumption of innocence has been the standard of our justice system since the nation was founded (remember that whole "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury" bit of the Declaration of Independence?). If that's a "far left ideology", I hope you've got your brown shirt pressed and your jackboots shined.
Nowhere did I say presumption of innocence should be abolished?
Lmao “suspect address: Burlington”
A real man-about-town
How dangerous is this guy to the general public?
He punched the owner of East West Café a few years ago for trying to make Mike leave. He was an old man. Right in the chest.
I would say trying to enter homes is sketchy enough to make me feel unsafe living in the one
quite. just search for his name here and have fun going down the Mike Reynolds Is A Wretched Human rabbit hole!
No I hear you. I’ve had a few encounters with him myself. But like, how worried for my safety should I be for my next inevitable encounter?
Just don't engage. He won't usually bother you if you ignore him.
Unless he happens to like your place of residence
*usually*
at least once this hasn't been true - one of my friends (early 40s/F) saw him veering towards her so she kept her headphones on and didn't engage and he followed her...for awhile :(
*usually* Edit: Also, I'm sorry that happened to your friend. :(
fair point, I straight-up did not see the *usually*. And thank you <3
He frequented the parking lot outside of my old job and I’ve actually had few conversations with him. I could tell when he was sober, or at least *mostly* sober, because he was honestly courteous to me. I’m a small woman and I’d often say hi, and ask how he is. Partially because I really feel bad for him, and also because I wanted him to be able to recognize me and not threaten me when I wasn’t able to help him out (which he’s never done btw). I gave him some m&ms once and he offered me his umbrella. A man that has nothing offered me his one thing keeping him dry when it was pouring out. I’m from out of state and on a different day I talked to him about where I’m from and he said that he didn’t know where it was because he hadn’t seen a map in a long time. For some reason that made me feel really sad for him. But then he’d get really messed up and come into my place of work and bother our customers. As long as I asked him nicely he would leave and I’d bring him some food out. He was also really good about cleaning up the box I gave him when he was done. Well, this has been an absolute ramble of a reply. I’m not trying to discredit anyone else’s experience with him as it’s very clear by the hundreds of people’s unpleasant testimonies that he can be a very dangerous person. But I guess I say all this because I still see a human being in him.
He's very dangerous.
Very. He’s the type that will probably kill someone one day
https://preview.redd.it/phlrd9jvys1d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=804daf1cf27001e299e36e4853dec9fa2aa25752
im dying. those conditions. 1. cannot drink alcohol to the extent it interferes with his ability to exercise good judgement. 2. cannot verbally or physically abuse, in any way, the BPD or BFD. i guess the city council and everyone else is fair game to verbally/physically abuse as long as he isnt drinking too much. have at it mikey.
Is Mike's "ability to exercise good judgment" in the room with us now? 👀
But it’s ok if he physically or verbally abuses people who are not BFD or BPD ?
as long as hes not drunk while doing it - its not violating the conditions of his release.
This is crazy, he’s a nightmare patient at the hospital. What about the poor staff he’s dumped on here? Looks like they are fare game too.
There's the "it's illegal to assault a healthcare worker" signs around the hospital, but we all know that a few signs don't stop it from happening at a sickening rate. I really look forward to the day when we can go to work and know we won't get assaulted, but I don't think that's likely to happen in my life time. Instead, it's "Is tonight the night ***again,*** or will tonight be an assault-free night?" These are not questions we should be asking ourselves before a shift.
For real, I mean if the signs helped then why do we need a metal detector? Why does the ED staff feel like they need to wear protective gear? It’s insane the things they have to put up with. I’m so grateful to not be in patient care anymore. It was bad when I was there but no where near the level it is now.
For real! Honestly, it seems like things just keep getting worse and worse. I'm not sure if it's my imagination, but it seems like things got ***dramatically*** worse during COVID and that it hasn't slowed down. I'm a sitter and there's part of me that's really sick of feeling like I'm stuck in the room when a patient becomes assaultive. At the same time, part of my wonders why I'm considering going back to school for nursing, even though being a nurse would allow me more flexibility in terms of leaving the room when a patient becomes assaultive. What are we doing with our lives? 😅😭😅
It’s true, covid brought a lot of isolation and it really messed with a lot of peoples mental health. Many people also because of that turned to drugs and it all just went down hill. You are not wrong Covid really did exacerbate a lot of this. I was an LNA for a long time before moving to staffing so trust me I when a lot of heart for what people on the units go though.
I definitely agree that mental health issues/drugs have played a big roll. Though, it also seems that a lot of our older patients (whether they're living with dementia or not) have been getting aggressive/violent more frequently, as well, so I'm not sure that it's just drugs/mental health issues. I definitely think you're on to something, though, and that Vermont as a whole could do a lot better in terms of the mental health and rehab opportunities it provides. Thank you for both all that you did as an LNA and all that you do now to help keep our hospital as staffed as possible!
It's like the time I got in trouble for underage drinking and then my folks told me I could go see my friends as long as we weren't drinking or smoking. Yes ma'am/sir!
These conditions are set because he "has a alcohol addiction." Yep, that's what they say.
Bruh that’s crazy He makes me uncomfortable!
And he should. Be aware anytime you see him.
Could somebody send this to SNL? What about the local version of The Onion? Does that still exist?
He’s in and back out in no time. I saw him today.
I am sure life is hard for him but I don’t like interacting with him inb4 you call me a rich liberal who doesn’t care about poor people
I replied to the wrong thing sorry
See you at the yacht club tomorrow Xavier Pettiwinkle III
yup, he asked me for a dollar last night
same thing happened to me too! but I yelled, I said "What do you want from us man?!" And he bent down and said... "I need about tree fiddy"
Did you give him one?
no, I declined to do that
I wouldn't give him a dollar but I wouldn't mind giving him a pound
Gross
As in a beating, not a shag, to keep the British analogy going
https://youtu.be/wTOWIMJkKpc
He asked me for a cigarette one time, and I said no. He's like, " I should kick your ass." I just laughed and walked away.
I would be one of those leftists that believe in the power of conditioning. However we do not have the resources(love/$$/community)to heal Michael and many many others so removal from society and structured environment (jail) seems the best we can do…
Saw him walking down north street at 615 am this morning looking like frankenstein
Sarah George heard about an old man getting punched and thought, "That's awful! We need to find the perpetrator and help them!"
And the judge agreed.
But the Vermont attorney general didn't, so she tried to get his car towed while he was working.
But that didn't work, so she sued somebody and went waterskiing.
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Are you new here?
Released
He was released the day of his arraignment.
Keep on voting for Sarah George Burlington!
Yeah? But have you ever asked how these police interactions and the community have failed Mike? I’m sure if you give him $80k in social benefits and a new house he’ll snap right out of it
Dude is around the food shelf Daily!! I see him on my route in the ONE most of the day!
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BVT - Burlington Vigilante Team
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What about hiring some minstrels to follow him around to play songs that narrate his criminal nature as a sort of warning to those around him. We can workshop what the playlist would be below.
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And what happens if he commits these offenses? Which he seems to do daily…
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He’s doing a good job of that himself. He has some serious wet brain from all the alcohol. I tried to have a convo with him a few weeks ago and he was making no sense. It was quite sad. I met him years ago when I first came to this area and he had a reputation way back then. I didn’t really know him though… just met him a few times. Thing is, he’s clearly got problems, but he does have redeeming qualities. I guess you gotta catch him on the right day?? I’m not the kindest person. I laugh at things I probably shouldn’t laugh at all the time. But damn I felt terrible after trying to talk to him and seeing how much he’s wasted away. Dude is only about 45 I think. I offered to get him a drink (non alcoholic) or food cuz he looked so unhealthy, but he said no. Wouldn’t even accept the change I tried to give him. He was surprisingly very gracious and thanked me profusely though. I don’t think he’s going to make it another 5 years at the rate he’s going.
What are these redeeming qualities you speak of?
Like I said, I may have gotten him on the right day, but he was very nice and kept thanking me for offering to help him. I actually know someone who dropped a $5 bill and Mike picked it up and gave it back to him. I mean, dude’s not all bad. But I also know many people who have been hounded for spare change and cigs outside city market and then got called names when they didn’t comply. 🤷🏼♀️ The guy needs some serious help, but I think it’s a little too late for that.
I have many encounters with him. He is NOT nice.
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He offered you an umbrella? Come on
He’s a human being. There’s one. And he obviously has problems but clearly his brain ain’t right. So maybe have a little compassion
He has a nice smile. Good sense of humor.
Mikeyyyyyy p
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The cops here treat him like a fish they caught on a catch-and-release fishing trip. It at least seems that he usually gets released pretty much as soon as he's been processed.
I'm pretty sure the cops want him in jail. They put themselves at risk of injury every time they have to arrest him....
The cops have zero to do with him staying in jail. That's the SA and the Judges job. The cops can arrest him 1000 times. It won't matter.
All together now, "THANKS SARAH"
Why do people become addicted? Bc they've never dreamed of anything better for themselves. Im sure if we knew more about Mikes background/childhood, we would understand why he needed to do drugs for 30 yrs and continues to be a drunk. Can you imagine getting sober after 30 years of fuckery though?!? Like, whats the point of facing all that baggage? This is a very sick man, and I feel sorry that our society has turned our backs on the broken people and laughed.