A Sheriff is Being Retried on an Assault Allegation After Kicking a Chained Detainee Twice in the Groin
North Hero, Vermont – A Vermont sheriff faced a second trial Monday on a charge of simple assault for kicking a chained detainee twice in the groin in 2022 while serving as captain after a judge declared a mistrial in July.
On Monday, a jury was selected, and the trial for Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore began in the afternoon.
This summer, a jury deadlocked, informing the court that it could not reach a unanimous judgment after four hours of deliberation.
Following the mistrial, Grismore expressed disappointment that the jury did not acquit him. He said via email on Friday that he had no comment on his second trial.
Grismore was elected sheriff in November 2022, just months after being sacked from his position as a captain in the sheriff’s department when video leaked of him kicking the handcuffed detainee. He pled not guilty to the simple assault allegation.
According to the footage, a man chained and shackled refused to sit on a bench while being arrested at the sheriff’s office. Grismore, clothed in shorts and a T-shirt, kicked the man in the groin before kicking him again as he stood up.
Grismore was the only sheriff candidate on the ballot after earning both the Republican and Democratic primaries in the primary on August 9, 2022.
In December 2023, the Vermont Criminal Justice Council determined that he violated the state’s use of force policy and voted 15-1 to permanently revoke his law enforcement certification, making him unable to police the law in Vermont.
Four months later, a special legislative committee advised against impeaching Grismore, saying the sheriff was doing a disservice by remaining in office and should resign.
In reaction, Grismore expressed disappointment with how much time and money he claimed had been squandered on this procedure. He stated that he will not quit and was relieved that Franklin County voters and locals who supported him had been vindicated.