Investigations are ongoing into the death of 54-year-old Burlington resident Douglas Kilburn, who died in March just a few days after he was in an altercation with a city police officer. In that encounter, Kilburn was punched in the face by Officer Cory Campbell outside UVM Medical Center.
Kilburn's death certificate did not list a cause of death, but it noted several underlying factors including skull fractures due to blunt impact and unrelated health problems. His manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Seven Days reporter Derek Brouwer has been closely following this story, and has written several updates in the two weeks since Kilburn’s death certificate was released on April 10.
Listen to Brouwer's conversation with VPR's Henry Epp above. Find links to Brouwer's Seven Days reporting discussed in the interview below:
- April 17: "Burlington Officials Sought to Change 'Homicide' Finding in Police Case"
- April 18: "Governor's Staff Emails: Burlington Mayor's Autopsy Request 'Does Not Feel Right'"
- April 23: "Cop Involved in Altercation at Hospital Sues to Obtain Bodycam Footage"
- April 24: "Man Who Died After Fight With Cop Had Broken Jaw, Eye Socket"
According to emails first reported on by Seven Days, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger's office reached out to the governor's office in an attempt to delay the release of the autopsy report. On Thursday, Weinberger declined to say why, citing the ongoing state police investigation into Kilburn's death.
"But when we can and when all the facts are laid out before the public, I think reasonable people will understand the concerns, the actions that we took," Weinberger told VPR.
