Previously unreported court records show that, by his own account, Campbell initiated physical contact with Kilburn by grabbing the disabled man’s arm as he stepped out of his SUV, in an attempt to handcuff him.
Kilburn then punched the officer using his free arm, hitting him in the jaw — a blow Campbell rated as three out of 10 on a pain scale. Campbell reported landing three punches in return, all to Kilburn’s right eye, sending him to the ground.
“I placed Kilburn into handcuffs and observed Kilburn to be bleeding heavily from his right eye,” Campbell wrote.
Kilburn suffered fractures to his jaw, orbital bone and skull, as Seven Days has reported. He died three days later, though city officials disputed a state autopsy that linked his death to Campbell’s punches and asked the governor’s office to delay its release.
State police have refused to make public the records related to the incident as they continue to investigate, and Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo has offered only select details from the evidence he’s seen, including video from Campbell’s body camera and a hospital surveillance system.
The latest turn in the contentious investigation came last week, when the Burlington Police Officers’ Association asked a judge to order the release of Campbell’s bodycam video. Campbell’s attorney said he wanted his client to view the footage alongside a use-of-force expert before sitting for an interview with state police.
Campbell’s written account was included in charging documents filed against Kilburn for assaulting a police officer and disorderly conduct. His account mirrors some details that del Pozo previously provided.
Campbell wrote that he was called to the hospital to assist with an irate man who was trying to visit his wife, a patient. Kilburn referred to UVM security staff as “cockroaches,” Campbell said, and hospital security staff asked his help in calming Kilburn down. Campbell escorted Kilburn to his wife’s room, then left to respond to another call at the hospital.
While escorting another person outside, Campbell said, he saw hospital security run past him to confront Kilburn, who was sitting in his car in the ambulance bay. Kilburn and the security guards began arguing loudly.
Campbell asked security if they wanted Kilburn “trespassed” — in other words, removed from the property. “They advised they were not sure,” Campbell wrote.
The officer twice yelled at Kilburn to leave, the second time saying something to the effect of “just fucking leave and get out [of] here.”
“Kilburn turned to me and stated to the effect of ‘you can’t swear and [sic] me you fucking punk!'” Campbell wrote. “Kilburn then glared at me and unlocked his car door and started to step out.”
Campbell said he walked over to Kilburn’s car door and “grabbed his left arm in an attempt to handcuff him.”
“Kilburn clinched his right fist and punched me, hitting my lower left jaw causing me pain,” Campbell wrote.
An affidavit submitted by fellow officer William Drinkwine noted that one of the UVM security guards witnessed Kilburn hitting Campbell in the chest and face.
Drinkwine also described the unreleased hospital surveillance video, which he said shows Kilburn exiting his car and walking toward Campbell “in an immediate rapid manner.”
The confrontation itself is obscured by Kilburn’s SUV, Drinkwine wrote.
Kilburn was in poor physical health, having suffered a stroke that left him with limited use of his left side and caused him to speak loudly, his sister previously told Seven Days.
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Nothing that Campbell said seems to justify Kilburns injuries or his subsequent death.
Mt Philo,
Sure it does.
Officers are trained to diffuse situations, not to escalate them. But, sure, you’re right. It’s cool for cops to murder people even when there’s no proof Kilburn punched him in the first place.
It really looks like Campbell made this situation far worse than it had to be.
Security wasn’t sure they wanted Kilburn removed but Campbell took it upon himself to do so anyway.
Campbell’s verbal interaction with Kilburn in asking him to leave seems unprofessional at best and certainly escalated the situation.
Campbell seemingly tried to arrest Kilburn without warning and by trying to physically overpower him for stepping out of of his vehicle.
I get police deal with some tough cases. I’ve seen a person being arrested who told the arresting officer she hoped she had needles in her pocket so the officer would be stabbed when asked if she had any needles on her. The officer remained calm, didn’t swear or try to overpower the woman. I’ve also seen a team of 3 officers quickly take down an uncooperative citizen and apply handcuffs without throwing punches. The point is, there is a protocol for dealing with surly citizens. I can’t imagine punching them in the face and creating the injuries pictured fits into it.
Something seems to have changed in how law enforcement deals with people. I can’t say with certainty but it sure seems like the police are killing and hurting a lot more than 20 years ago. It would be good to have the actual statistics of police related deaths from 1980-2000 and 2000-2019. My guess is a dramatic rise. If so, to what is it attributed?
That young punk of a cop sounds like he has anger management issues and should be fired for what he did.
Police are able to use just about any level of violence they want. All they need to say is that they felt threatened and they cannot be prosecuted.
@ Philo:
“Nothing that Campbell said seems to justify Kilburns injuries or his subsequent death.”
Well, except maybe for the violent physical assault on Campbell. But other than that, no.
@ Zaragoza:
“when there’s no proof Kilburn punched him in the first place.”
Well, except maybe the statements of the UVM security guards who witnessed Kilburn hitting Campbell in the chest and face. Did you actually read the article?
@knowyourassumptions, speaking of knowing you assumptions….
Where is the evidence of a ‘violent physical assault’ on an irate officer Campbell?
I’m referring to actual evidence of what you alone describe as a ‘violent physical assault’. UVM security guards didn’t describe it that way, and UVMMC surveillance video didn’t capture a ‘violent physical assault’ on an irate officer Campbell.
In another article, abuser Campbell’s enabler, “Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo has depicted Douglas Kilburn as an irate man who picked a fistfight with an officer”.
“court records show that, by his own account, Campbell initiated physical contact with Kilburn”
“The officer twice yelled at Kilburn to leave, the second time saying something to the effect of “just fucking leave and get out [of] here.”
And yet, clearly, by his own admission, abuser Campbell contradicts Chief del Pozo, because he admitted being the irate aggressor in this situation
No part of Cambell’s report makes any statement to the effect of “I told him he was under arrest”. Sounds like he did what all these out of control public servants do these days and simply grabbed Kilburn out of nowhere & started trying to manhandle him and twist his arm behind his back without so much as a word from him. If that’s the case, Kilburn striking his attacker was lawful self defense, costume & badge or not and in no way justifies Cambell’s continued and escalated assault. Especially when nobody from the hospital ever asked for Kilburn to be removed or arrested.
“Cannot be prosecuted”? Not even close. Once a public servant violates or acts in contempt of his/her oath of office, they vacate that office and their immunity from prosecution is vaporized.
Sounds to me like Cambell had no lawful cause to arrest Kilburn making it a false arrest, acting under color of law, exceeding his jurisdiction and acting outside his authority. Any man/women has a constitutionally guaranteed right to resist a false arrest, to any extent necessary.
@Lou M
“Something seems to have changed in how law enforcement deals with people. I can’t say with certainty but it sure seems like the police are killing and hurting a lot more than 20 years ago. It would be good to have the actual statistics of police related deaths from 1980-2000 and 2000-2019. My guess is a dramatic rise. If so, to what is it attributed?”
USA Today has created an extensive database of uniformed criminals. Appears sociopaths infest the police depts like pedophiles in the Catholic Church.
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/inv…
@ Morpheus
Oh, great. Someone who loves Trump (a criminal himself) and hates cops (Trump LOVES LOVES LOVES cops).
You say, wheres the evidence of violent physical assault. Well, three people (not one, not two, but three) report that Kilburn punched the officer in the face and chest. What was not violent about that? What was not physical about that? What was not assaultive about that? Perhaps you have a different definition of the terms violent, physical, and assault than the entire rest of the world?
Why was Kilburn parked in the ambulance zone? That might have been something Campbell should have tried to ascertain before he kicked ass and took names later.
Campbell was the victim of violent physical assault? Kilburn swung on him and connected with one to the face. It sounds like he missed the target on all other punches, The one with which he connected registered a whole 3 out of 10 on the pain scale. I stepped on a Lego the other day that registered a 5 out of 10 but I didn’t mangle my son’s face for leaving it there.
Citizens should not be throwing punches on the police. There are rare examples of when it might be OK and this does not appear to be one of them. The police should not be putting their hands on citizens without warning. There are examples of when it might be OK and this does not appear to be one of them.
In the end, police face danger. It is part of the job. However, the police cannot be the ones who create the danger and that goes for shooting a guy with a knife or a shovel, firing off shots (or not) at a car in the middle of an intersection who is driving toward a barricade, or beating the shit out of a confused disabled guy because he was illegally parked.
LOVE how some hide behind cute little slogans- right knowyourassumptions?