PUTNEY-I am deeply concerned about the case of Rein Kolts, a man sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Vermont jury in 2017 for the alleged rape of a 13-year-old. While the severity of such a crime cannot be understated, there are troubling aspects of this case that demand immediate attention and investigation.
First, Kolts has shared evidence that the alleged victim has reportedly denied the allegations, raising serious questions about the validity of the conviction. Additionally, Kolts presents that the prosecution withheld crucial DNA evidence that implicated another man in the assaults. According to Kolts, he is beginning to get traction for an appeal.
At 84 years old, Kolts has spent the past 18 years maintaining his innocence, and he now faces the added injustice of inadequate medical care. Wellpath, the prison medical contractor for Vermont, is well documented for withholding necessary medical treatment, which in his case will prevent him from clearing his name.
The Vermont judiciary clearly supports the extrajudicial executions of its incarcerated elderly, but here it looks like we are executing an innocent man.
Ben Mitchell most recently worked as a corrections educator at the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield. He has had a long career as an educational administrator and consultant, and he is publisher of the online magazine Divergents, which celebrates neurodiversity and advocates for those who are neurodivergent. For...
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