A Rutland Superior Court judge has granted a two-year protection order to Mandy Hulett against Daniel Banyai, who owns Slate Ridge, a paramilitary training facility in West Pawlet.
Hulett owns property that abuts Slate Ridge, and her home is a several-minute walk down the road from the facility.
In the court order, Judge Helen Toor cites posts from Slate Ridge’s Facebook page, then concludes, “any reasonable person would interpret the overall message as threatening to cause physical harm to Hulett and her family. Banyai certainly knew or should have known this.”
Toor points to three posts, which Hulett and her attorney used as evidence in a hearing last week, that demonstrate threats. The first said Hulett and her husband needed to “go to HELL!” and later said “we must eradicate these people,” then listed her home address.
Another post asked followers to help find a car “like this,” alongside a photo of a car identical to that of Hulett’s teenage daughter, to “shoot up and then blow up” at a forthcoming vehicle assault class to be held at Slate Ridge.
The final post cited in the court order “stated that thousands of stickers were available with the symbols ‘NO #hulett #pawlett #vtdigger,” offering “a firearm and 1,000 rounds of ‘ammo’ to the person placing a sticker in the ‘best location.’”
The stickers feature red circles with lines through them superimposed over the names. “In the context of the other posts, a reasonable person would interpret this as a threat to have people kill the Huletts,” the order says.
During last week’s hearing, Banyai stated that he does not operate Slate Ridge’s Facebook page. Toor wrote that the court “did not find that testimony to be credible.”
Banyai cannot amend or attempt to revoke the protective order, which requires him to “stay away” from Hulett and her children.
“‘Stay away’ means do not talk to, telephone, text, email, or use any other electronic communication to make contact, and do not post to them or about them on social media, and do not ask other people to give them messages,” the order, granted Friday afternoon, says.
He must also stay 500 feet from Hulett, her children and their property.
The order will remain in effect until Jan. 15, 2023. Violation of the order can result in imprisonment, a fine or both.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Judge grants neighbor stalking order against Daniel Banyai.