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Rooney Appears in Court

St. Johnsbury, Vermont - October 16, 2006

Brian Rooney looked around as he was first brought into the courtroom, but he quickly ducked behind his lawyer to avoid TV cameras.

He is the prime suspect in the death of UVM student Michelle Gardner Quinn. But he was not here to be charged with her death.

Instead he was here facing unrelated charges accusing him of the sexual abuse and rape of a 14-year-old girl eight years ago in Caledonia and Essex Counties.

"The defendant jumped on her while she was in bed, forced a rag over face with an ether-type smell, when she woke up he was there with her. She had a feeling in her legs like they were jello," says Matt Levine, Vt. Assistant Attorney General.

Rooney pled not guilty to charges of lewd and lascivious conduct and sexual assault. His lawyer told the judge the sex charges should be dismissed. He claims they are a police tactic that permits them to hold Rooney while they look for the evidence to charge him with the murder of the UVM student.

"Mr. Rooney was approached by the police Sunday. They've been to his house numerous times. He's been to the police station a number of times. He has faced brutal accusations and interrogation," says David Sleigh, Rooney's lawyer.

"The state is proceeding here on those charges not as some kind of rouse to keep Mr. Rooney in custody while the Burlington case develops. The information that led to these charges came to light of law enforcement as a result of interviewing people who knew Mr. Rooney in connection with his being a suspect in that disappearance," says Levine.

Rooney is being held on cash bail set at 150-thousand dollars on the sex crime charges. As for the investigation into the Gardner-Quinn's death, police say they are seeking a subpoena to obtain DNA material from Rooney.

Brian Joyce - Channel 3 News