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DISORDERLY CONDUCT. WE’LL HAVE MORE ON THIS INVESTIGATION TONIGHT STARTING AT 5. THE ADULTS INVOLVED IN A BRAWL… AT A MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAME EARLIER THIS YEAR. HAD THEIR DAY IN COURT THIS MORNING… ANSWERING TO CHARGES FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR. NBC5’S CAROLYN SISTRAND IS LIVE IN NORTH HERO – WITH WHAT’S NEXT FOR THOSE INVOLVED. IT WAS A QUICK IN AND OUT AT THEIR ARRIAGNMENT HERE INSIDE THE GRAND ISLE COUNTY COURTHOUSE. ALL FIVE DEFENDANTS ENTERING NOT GUILTY PLEAS. THE DEFENDENTS ARE: Jacqueline Giroux, 30, of Alburgh. Jacques Giroux, 32, of Jason O’Leary, 30, of Steven Carbone, 43, St. Albans. THE NOT GUILTY PLEAS ARE FOR MISDEMEANOR SIMPLE ASSAULT, FIGHTING AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT CHARGES. ALL THE PARTIES AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE’S DIVERSION PROGRAM. IT GIVES PEOPLE ACCUSED OF A CRIME AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION… TO WORK WITH MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY ON WAYS TO REPAIR THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. STATE’S ATTORNEY DOUG DISABITO SAYS THIS IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN A FINE OR PAROLE. BECAUSE THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE IMPACTED BY THEIR BEHAVIOR. <DOUG DISABITO/GRAND ISLE STATE’S ATTORNEY: “I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY TREATED THESE CASES VERY UNIQUELY… THIS INVOLVED SEVENTH EIGHTH GRADE KIDS… THIS INVOLVED THEM NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ATTEND GAMES… SO THEY NEED TO MAKE AMENDS TO THE COMMUNITY, THE NEED TO MAKE AMENDS TO THE SCHOOL, THE NEED TO MAKE AMENDS TO THE STUDENTS.”> ONLY TWO OF THE FIVE DEFENDANTS APPEARED IN PERSON THIS MORNING. THE OTHER THREE WAIVING THEIR RIGHT TO APPEAR OR AGREEING TO DIVERSION PRE- ARRAIGNMENT. THEIR ATTORNEYS ENTERED THEIR PLEAS FOR THEM. THE STATE ATTORNEY DID TELL US THAT THE EVIDENCE AND AUTOPSY OF A MAN WHO DIED FOLLOWING THIS FIGHT. DID NOT SHOW ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BRAWL AND HIS DEATH. IN NORTH HER

Adults accused of starting a brawl at a middle school basketball game arraigned Thursday

Upon completion of the diversion program, all charges will be dropped

Five adults accused of starting a brawl at a middle school basketball game back in January were arraigned and entered not-guilty pleas inside a Grand Isle County courtroom in North Hero on Thursday morning.The defendants are:Jacqueline Giroux, 30, of Alburgh.Jacques Giroux, 32, of Alburgh.Jason O’Leary, 30, of Alburgh.Steven Carbone, 43, of St. Albans.Damien Kieu, 24, of St. Albans. Jacques Giroux, Carbone, and Kieu did not appear in person. They waived their right to appear and allowed their attorneys to enter their pleas. Jacqueline Giroux and her husband, Jason O’Leary, appeared in front of a judge.They’re facing misdemeanor charges for simple assault, mutual affray (agreeing to engage in a fight) and disorderly conduct. All five defendants agreed to plead not guilty under an agreement with the state that they complete the diversion program. It’s an opportunity to work with a board of community members to identify an alternative way to take accountability and repair damaged relationships with the community.Upon completion of the diversion program, all charges will most likely be dropped. “I wanted to make sure they treated these cases very uniquely,” said Doug DiSabito, the Grand Isle state’s attorney. “This involved seventh and eighth-grade kids. This involved them not being able to have their family and friends attend games, so need to make amends to the community. They need to make amends to the school. They need to make amends to the students.”DiSabito’s review of the evidence and autopsy results show that the death of Russell Giroux, 60, immediately following the brawl was not connected to what took place at the game. Giroux pulled over on his way home from the game and called for first responders. He eventually died of an apparent heart attack. “He told one of the first responders that he was not injured and nobody hit him,” DiSabito added.NBC5 obtained a copy of the affidavits for O’Leary and Jacqueline Giroux after they appeared in court. The two, who are married, told Vermont State Police that they went to watch their nephew play in a basketball game on Jan. 31. They observed two men, who they don’t know, cause some sort of disturbance, which they believe was related to the officiating of the game.They said they witnessed Russell, Jacqueline’s father, engage in a verbal back and forth with these men. Jacqueline told her father, Russell, to stop and also went over to tell the men in an attempt to diffuse the situation, but claims, instead, one of the men hit her in the face.O’Leary said he saw the man hit his wife and that’s when he went over and engaged in a fight with that man. The couple said that’s when the brawl broke out. In her account, Jacqueline believes that pepper spray was used and saw her father, Russell, getting up off the ground. No records were provided for the other three defendants.

NORTH HERO, Vt. —

The defendants are:

Jacqueline Giroux, 30, of Alburgh.
Jacques Giroux, 32, of Alburgh.
Jason O’Leary, 30, of Alburgh.
Steven Carbone, 43, of St. Albans.
Damien Kieu, 24, of St. Albans.

Jacques Giroux, Carbone, and Kieu did not appear in person. They waived their right to appear and allowed their attorneys to enter their pleas. Jacqueline Giroux and her husband, Jason O’Leary, appeared in front of a judge.

They’re facing misdemeanor charges for simple assault, mutual affray (agreeing to engage in a fight) and disorderly conduct.

All five defendants agreed to plead not guilty under an agreement with the state that they complete the diversion program. It’s an opportunity to work with a board of community members to identify an alternative way to take accountability and repair damaged relationships with the community.

Upon completion of the diversion program, all charges will most likely be dropped.

“I wanted to make sure they treated these cases very uniquely,” said Doug DiSabito, the Grand Isle state’s attorney. “This involved seventh and eighth-grade kids. This involved them not being able to have their family and friends attend games, so [these adults] need to make amends to the community. They need to make amends to the school. They need to make amends to the students.”

DiSabito’s review of the evidence and autopsy results show that the death of Russell Giroux, 60, immediately following the brawl was not connected to what took place at the game.

Giroux pulled over on his way home from the game and called for first responders. He eventually died of an apparent heart attack.

“He told one of the first responders that he was not injured and nobody hit him,” DiSabito added.

NBC5 obtained a copy of the affidavits for O’Leary and Jacqueline Giroux after they appeared in court.

The two, who are married, told Vermont State Police that they went to watch their nephew play in a basketball game on Jan. 31. They observed two men, who they don’t know, cause some sort of disturbance, which they believe was related to the officiating of the game.

They said they witnessed Russell, Jacqueline’s father, engage in a verbal back and forth with these men. Jacqueline told her father, Russell, to stop and also went over to tell the men in an attempt to diffuse the situation, but claims, instead, one of the men hit her in the face.

O’Leary said he saw the man hit his wife and that’s when he went over and engaged in a fight with that man. The couple said that’s when the brawl broke out.

In her account, Jacqueline believes that pepper spray was used and saw her father, Russell, getting up off the ground.

No records were provided for the other three defendants.