Brooke Bennett

Vermont's Senate Judiciary Committee convened Thursday for the first of more than half a dozen hearings set to examine the state's dealings with Michael Jacques, who has been charged with kidnapping and murdering his niece, Brooke Bennett, in June.

The committee hearing follows a Wednesday report from Vermont's Attorney General Office in which Attorney General William Sorrell, state attorneys from thirteen of Vermont's counties, and representatives of victims' advocacy groups revealed five proposals for legislative changes to the state's policy regarding sexual offenders.