John Grismore, a captain with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Vermont, is running for sheriff, but a video showing him kicking a detained man in the groin has Republicans and Democrats alike calling for him to pull out of the race
A captain with Vermont's Franklin County Sheriff's Office, which he is running to lead, has been fired after video footage showing him repeatedly kicking a handcuffed man came to light, according to NBC affiliate WPTZ.
John Grismore is no longer employed by the law enforcement agency, a statement Thursday from Sheriff Roger Langevin said.
A video of the incident, which happened earlier this month, shows Grismore kicking the handcuffed man repeatedly in the groin after the detainee attempted to stand up from a sitting position. Immediately before, the man had fallen down, hitting his face, and was helped up by two deputies to sit down.
Langevin placed Grismore on administrative leave after the incident was reported. The sheriff released the video to the public.
In Vermont's primary earlier this month, Grismore won the Republican nomination to replace Langevin. With no Democrat running, he appears to have gotten enough write-in votes to land that party's nomination, as well.
But following the video's release, Republicans and Democrats alike have called for him to remove his name from the November ballot.
"It sets a bad tone," said Zach Weight, the Republican running to become the next state's attorney of Franklin County, who condemned the content of the video.
John Lavoie, Weight's opponent in that race and a current deputy Franklin County state's attorney, agreed.
"I think Captain Grismore should withdraw," Lavoie told NECN and NBC10 Boston.
