An activist who has criticized law enforcement’s handling of a Black Barre man’s disappearance has been charged with contempt for not sharing information with the state relating to the case.
The state asked Lee Morrigan at a hearing in early May to provide the names of people who had told Morrigan that Barre law enforcement had video evidence from the motel where Ralph Jean-Marie was last seen. Morrigan refused, prompting the contempt charge. The state won’t confirm whether the video evidence exists.
Morrigan, who uses they/their pronouns. was arraigned Thursday morning at the Washington County Courthouse, where a judge approved their request for a 30-day extension to their case to allow them to review case law and build a defense.
Washington County State’s Attorney Rory Thibault is seeking one to two days in jail and a $500 fine.
It’s been a little more than a year since Jean-Marie disappeared, and Morrigan is one of a growing group of residents who have criticized Barre police, contending they’ve mismanaged the investigation. They allege police are apathetic about the case because Jean-Marie is Black and low-income.
Seven Days reported last month that Barre police did not interview multiple neighbors who live near the motel where Jean-Marie was last seen. Barre City Police Chief Tim Bombardier has vigorously defended the investigation, saying officers have conducted more than 56 interviews and 30 searches.
Thibault told the court on Thursday that the state is no longer interested in obtaining information from Morrigan about the video that may or may not exist. However, he said, Morrigan needs to be held accountable for not cooperating with the court.
“There are others that we are actively subpoenaing, under subpoena or intended to be subpoenaed in this process,” Thibault said. “And the state believes it would have a chilling effect on the appearance or candor of those individuals to watch as there’s no repercussion for refusal to cooperate.”
Morrigan told VTDigger after the hearing that the two people who had given them information about video evidence from the motel are already known to the Barre police. Morrigan didn’t want to give their names, fearing Barre police would retaliate against those sources.
Morrigan said Thibault’s statements in court amounted to an acknowledgment that the goal of the contempt charge is to intimidate other witnesses and to frighten critics.
“He is sending a message to other people that they can’t make independent choices for what they believe is right,” Morrigan said.
In a Facebook post, Morrigan said a few hours after Seven Days had published its story April 21 about the Jean-Marie investigation, which included Morrigan’s critical quotes about the Barre police, two Barre detectives appeared at their door looking for information about the sources behind the motel video. Morrigan refused to divulge the sources.
The following Monday, Morrigan was asked to appear in front of a judge and was again questioned about the sources behind the motel video. Morrigan refused to provide that information.
“The whole point of this is questioning, what is so dangerous about this video?” Morrigan told VTDigger Thursday. Morrigan said they think the contempt charge is a distraction from critiques about the investigation and a form of retribution against activists who are bringing complaints to light.
Thibault said police are holding their “cards close to their vests” because of how many conflicting narratives they’ve heard from witnesses relating to Jean-Marie’s disappearance. He said police want to ensure that “individuals do not begin to tailor or change their stories based upon what they think or do not think law enforcement knows.”
He said the state is not looking to make an example out of Morrigan.
“I’d rather not detract from getting to the truth of the matter, and yet at the same time, to just look the other way when someone violates court process order, what does that say then?” Thibault said. “Why would any other witness want to come forward?”
Morrigan’s next hearing on the contempt charge is scheduled for June 24.
