A jury has found Aita Gurung guilty of Murder in the First Degree of Yogeswari Khadka and guilty of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree for the near-fatal attack on Tulasa Rimal. In light of the verdict, Attorney General Susanne Young issued the following statement:
“Murder is the most serious charge that can be brought in our system of justice. The Attorney General’s Office has always believed that this matter—the tragic death of Yogeswari Khadka and the near-fatal attack on Tulasa Rimal—deserved to be heard in a court of law and required a response from our justice system. We are grateful to our partners in law enforcement, including the Burlington Police Department, who assisted in the pursuit of justice. We thank the jury for their service and their careful consideration and deliberation around the facts and the law in this matter. It is because of the jury’s commitment and participation that we are able to uphold the rule of law.”
The Court ordered Mr. Gurung’s continued hospitalization pending a hearing on that status to be scheduled.
The case was heard by Judge John Pacht in Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Criminal Division. Assistant Attorneys General Sophie Stratton and Rosemary Kennedy prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Vermont.