The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2024 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 13 : Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Chapter 019 : Breach of the Peace; Disturbances
Subchapter 004 : OTHER DISTURBANCES OF THE PEACE
(Cite as: 13 V.S.A. § 1032)-
§ 1032. Law enforcement use of chokeholds
(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Law enforcement officer” has the same meaning as in 20 V.S.A. § 2351a.
(2) “Chokehold” means the use of any maneuver on a person that employs a lateral vascular neck restraint, carotid restraint, or other action that applies any pressure to the throat, windpipe, or neck in a manner that limits the person’s breathing or blood flow.
(3) “Serious bodily injury” has the same meaning as in section 1021 of this title.
(b) A law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s capacity as law enforcement who employs a chokehold on a person in violation of 20 V.S.A. § 2368(c)(6) that causes serious bodily injury to or death of the person shall be imprisoned for not more than 20 years or fined not more than $50,000.00, or both. (Added 2019, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 6, eff. Oct. 1, 2020; amended 2021, No. 27, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2021.)
