Vermont's first death penalty trial in decades opens, sparking protests

By Greg Guma | Vermont Guardian

Posted June 20, 2005

BURLINGTON – The murder trial of Donald Fell began today in U.S. District Court with grisly details of the events that led to the deaths of two people in November 2000, along with a press conference by death penalty opponents and a decision by Judge William Sessions to insulate jurors from growing crowds amassing outside the courthouse.

Noting that a crowd had gathered outside the building at noon Monday, Session decided that lunch will be brought in to the jurors for the duration of the trial. The goal, he explained, is to avoid the possibility that jurors will overhear conversations outside the scope of admitted testimony.

As the jurors returned from a brief recess, the judge also noted that they were engaged in what he described as “banter” that could be heard inside the courtroom. The sounds filtering into the room included light conversation and a smattering of laughter. “The banter level is getting high ahead of schedule,” Sessions said, asking the jurors to refrain from audible conversation as they enter or leave.

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