Deal Off In Big Jay Clear-Cut Cases



Advertisers \| Affiliates \| Subscribers \| Download	Last Updated 10:11 PM Sunday, September 05, 2010

User Login:
Last Name:
Subscriber Number:

News

10/30/2008 6:00:00 AM

Email this article • Print this article

Deal Off In Big Jay Clear-Cut Cases
Judge Questions Suspect's Sanity

Robin Smith
Staff Writer

NEWPORT CITY - A plea deal is off the table in Orleans District Court in the cases of two men charged with clear cutting their own ski trail on public land on Big Jay Mountain.

One of the two men has fired his attorney and has said that the state has no right to charge him.

Paul Poulin, 41, of Derby Line was in court Wednesday morning without an attorney and prepared to argue his motion to dismiss the charge.

Judge Robert Bent refused to hear the argument, citing statements to the court by Poulin that he said raised questions about Poulin's sanity. Bent ordered Poulin to submit to an outpatient psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he is sane and competent to stand trial.

Orleans District Court

The other accused, Alan Ritter, 46, of Jay, wants to fight the charge rather than accept a plea deal, defense attorney Jill Jourdan said Wednesday.

Jourdan is expected to file a motion to dismiss charges.

Poulin and Ritter pleaded innocent last fall to felony unlawful mischief. Their cases were being considered together and were expected to end with a plea deal Wednesday, but that fell apart. Now the hearings are being held separately and both are on track for trial.

Jourdan said Ritter is concerned that he could be expected to pay a large amount in restitution if he accepts a plea deal.

Article Comment Submission Form

Please feel free to submit your comments.

Article comments are not posted immediately to the Web site. Each submission must be approved by the Web site editor, who may edit content for appropriateness. There may be a delay of 24-72 hours for any submission while the web site editor reviews and approves it.

Note: All information on this form is required. Your telephone number is for our use only, and will not be attached to your comment.

Name:

Telephone:

E-mail:

Passcode:

This form will not send your comment unless you copy exactly the passcode seen below into the text field. This is an anti-spam device to help reduce the automated email spam coming through this form.

Please copy the passcode exactly
- it is case sensitive.

Message:

� The Caledonian-Record News 2009-2010
The Caledonian-Record, 190 Federal St., P.O. Box 8, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 - 802-748-8121

Terms and Conditions

Site Map

About Us