Written by

Elizabeth Murray

Free Press Staff Writer

After pleading guilty to assaulting a Burlington police officer in a July incident, Hieheem Kirkland, 21, of Burlington apologized to the court and to Sgt. Brad Trombley Thursday afternoon.

“I’m taking responsibility for my actions,” Kirkland said in Vermont Superior Court. “I just want to get on with my life.”

“I think that’s a really good start,” Judge James Crucitti replied.

Kirkland had pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful tresspass, impeding and assaulting a police officer in early July following an altercation with Trombley on Spring Street in Burlington’s Old North End, which ended with him, his mother Susalyn Kirkland and two minors being arrested.

The two other charges, impeding a police officer and unlawfully trespassing, were dismissed by the state.

State’s attorney T.J. Donovan said Kirkland received a furloughed sentence where he will remain in the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town until corrections releases him, and then he will be on probation for 18-24 months.

After Kirkland is released, he will not be allowed to reside at 69 Spring St., Donovan said.

According to court papers, Trombley went to the apartment after neighbors complained about a juvenile shooting a pellet gun. Upon his arrival, a group of young men, including Kirkland, allegedly prevented Trombley from retrieving the gun.

According to court papers, Trombley was punched in the face multiple times, had his uniform ripped and his radio thrown aside, and then had his arm bitten before he gained control of the situation.

Donovan called the situation a police officer’s “worst nightmare,” since Trombley then heard a male yell, “I’m going to shoot you in the... head,” and saw Kirkland standing at the window.

Trombley then drew his gun and ordered the suspects to stop or he would shoot, Detective Cpl. Daniel Gilligan wrote in a police affidavit.

Donovan said a real tragedy was avoided due to the professionalism and restraint practiced by Trombley.

“Somebody could have been shot that day and killed, but they weren’t because an experienced professional officer did his job the way he had been trained,” Donovan said.

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Donovan said Kirkland had been previously convicted for an assault and robbery charge in 2009, but he had gotten his sentence deferred. The state had wanted to pursue a more punitive sentence initially, Donovan said.

“But for Sgt. Trombley’s frankly pushing the state to resolve this case in a reasonable fashion, I don’t think we would have had this resolution today,” Donovan said. “Sgt. Trombley was very reasonable and helped facilitate this resolution with the understanding that Mr. Kirkland has to meet those expectations that we set out.”

Susalyn Kirkland sat in the back row of the courtroom on Thursday, shaking her head throughout the hearing. As her son left the court room, he looked in her direction. They called, “I love you,” to each other.

Susalyn Kirkland also pleaded not guilty in July to impeding a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. She will appear in court for a status hearing on Nov. 25. Donovan said the state is still negotiating a resolution to that case.

According to Hieheem Kirkland’s defense attorney William Norful, Kirkland will go back to work and will now have the opportunity to start all over.

“The situation was very much environmental and sometimes it gets cataclysmic with certain personalities and certain people all together,” Norful said. “He suffered consequences.”