Category: courts

Grr…You do not waive extradition, you waive an extradition hearing!

From WUSA9 in Washington, D.C.: Juvenile Suspect In Newark Slayings To Waive Extradition:

One of the six suspects arrested in the murders of three college students could be on his way back to New Jersey as early as Thursday.

Sixteen-year-old Alexander Alfaro will appear in court in Virginia on Thursday and will waive extradition, Paul Ebert, Commonwealth Attorney for Prince William County, Va., said Wednesday.

You do not waive extradition! Extradition is the process of taking a suspect from one jurisdiction to another! You waive an extradition hearing, you morons!

I’m guessing the phrase “equal protection” doesn’t mean anything to you… Part 12, the privileged class

From The Washington Post: Va. Bad-Driver Fees Could Snag Officials [emphasis mine]:

When Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and House Speaker William J. Howell were mulling over what sort of motorists to target with the state’s new abusive-driver fees, they could have drawn on experience: their own run-ins with the law.

In 1997 and 2001, Kaine (D) was ticketed for going 72 and 73 mph in 55 mph zones, court records show. Another three and two miles per hour would have brought charges of reckless driving for going 20 over the speed limit, an offense that now comes with a mandatory $1,050 fee in addition to judge-imposed penalties.

The speaker’s foot appears to have a bit more lead in it. In 2002, Howell (R-Stafford) was ticketed for reckless driving, charged with going 75 mph on a Caroline County road, although the charge was reduced to simple speeding — 74 in a 55 mph zone — in court, he confirmed.

Awfully convenient…

Kaine and Howell acknowledged speeding but said the offenses do not make them abusive drivers.

Of course not.

Within the past year, House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith (R-Salem) and House Republican Caucus chairman Terry G. Kilgore (Scott) received speeding tickets in Rockbridge County for driving 80 in a 65 mph zone — one mile per hour short of a reckless-driving charge, had they exceeded 80mph. Their records show each has an additional speeding violation.

A review of the driving histories of the state’s leading lawmakers and those from Northern Virginia shows that they are just as susceptible, if not more so, to the kind of behind-the-wheel behavior that they aimed to curb with the new fees, which have been widely derided since they took effect July 1.

Their driving records were gathered from local courts and personal interviews and may not represent lawmakers’ entire driving records.

[…]

But if some of the state’s leading lawmakers — as well as several backbenchers — qualify, just who are the so-called abusive drivers?

“Just because you get one [ticket for going] 20 miles over, you may not be an abusive driver,” Kilgore said. “We probably need to look at that.”

Oh, now you’re going to look at it, how considerate.

At a news conference last week, Howell and other Republican leaders said that state police issued 23 percent fewer reckless driving violations and 11 percent fewer speeding tickets in July than in July 2006 — saying this is evidence that the fees are making motorists slow down. At the same time, Republicans called for changes to the legislation that would exempt some offenses — including certain types of reckless driving — from the hefty fees.

You think maybe the deputies, troopers, and officers may not be writing as many reckless driving tickets because they don’t want to stick the person with a $1,050 “fee”?

Of course, you’ll be changing the law after the election, instead of calling for a special session, how convenient.

[…]

Del. Vivian E. Watts (D-Fairfax) was convicted of reckless driving in 1998 for going 20 mph over the limit. Del. Adam P. Ebbin (D-Alexandria) paid a fine for driving 77 in a 55 mph zone in 2000, although he was charged only with speeding. Ebbin was charged with reckless driving in 2003, but that case was dropped by the prosecution, according to court records.

Del. Thomas Davis Rust (R-Fairfax), who proposed the fees in 2005, was caught speeding in 1996, going 70 in a 55 mph zone. Del. Albert C. Eisenberg (D-Arlington) got a ticket for doing 73 in a 55 mph zone in 2000, and Sen. H. Russell Potts Jr. (R-Winchester) was stopped for going 71 in a 55 mph zone in 1994. In 1990, Sen. Janet D. Howell (D-Fairfax) received a ticket for driving 70 to 74 mph where the speed limit was 55. Del. Mark D. Sickles (D-Fairfax) was ticketed for going 50 to 54 in a 35 mph zone in 1992.

[…]

Nonetheless, Ault said he thinks the fees are unfair partly because lawmakers might receive special treatment in court, given their stature in the commonwealth.

“Legislators have connections within the court system — they have legal connections, they have name recognition,” Ault said. “Just because these legislators can get their tickets reduced doesn’t mean the average Virginia citizen can.”

You mean, like being the ones that elect the judges for General District court?

How much time do you get for illegally helping murderers and rapists avoid their just deserts?

Only five years apparently, from the San Jose Mercury News: Private eye gets five years for fake documents in death row cases [emphasis mine throughout]:

Death penalty investigator Kathleen Culhane said she recognized from the start that she was breaking the law when she systematically faked more than two dozen documents in an attempt to derail fast-approaching executions.

Her goal was to buy the condemned inmates more time. And in that she succeeded, prosecutors said, forcing attorneys to retrace her steps to make sure she didn’t do more to undermine the state’s legal system.

Culhane, 40, smiled slightly Thursday as she was led away in handcuffs to begin serving a five-year prison term for two counts of forgery and single counts of perjury and filing false documents. Her attorney said she is likely to actually serve about two years and eight months.

Under a plea agreement, the former San Francisco-based investigator avoided a possible 19 years in prison on 45 counts. She originally was charged with filing false documents under the names of 11 jurors, two witnesses, two court interpreters and one police officer.

[…]

A defiant Culhane used her sentencing hearing in Sacramento County Superior Court to criticize at length a justice system she was sworn to serve.

Though trained as a lawyer, Culhane worked as a private investigator for Habeas Corpus Resource Center in San Francisco and for private attorneys defending condemned inmates in the final stages of their court appeals and in last-ditch clemency appeals to California governors.

She said she started making up statements from real witnesses and jurors and forging their signatures on documents favorable to condemned murderers out of her belief that the death penalty is often disproportionately applied to racial minorities and the poor.

She got away with it for years.

Investigators eventually found that Culhane filed at least 23 fraudulent documents to help four death row inmates between November 2002 and February 2006. They say she faked documents for a fifth inmate as well, but those allegations were dropped as part of her plea agreement.

[…]

She was discovered after Michael Morales petitioned Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for clemency as he was about to be executed last year for the 1981 rape and murder of a Central Valley teenager.

San Joaquin County prosecutors challenged six documents provided by Culhane. They found jurors who swore they had never spoken with Culhane and said they supported Morales’ death sentence.

San Joaquin Deputy District Attorney Robert Himelblau, who attended Thursday’s sentencing, said it is ironic that Morales’ execution has since been stayed because of concerns about the state’s lethal injection method—an issue that was not related to Culhane. Morales is on death row for the rape and murder of 17-year-old Terri Winchell.

[…]

In addition to Morales, the other three death-row inmates named in Culhane’s charges are: Jose Guerra, convicted by a Los Angeles County jury for the 1990 rape and murder of Kathleen Powell; Vicente Figueroa Benavides, convicted by a Kern County jury for the 1991 murder and rape of a 21-month-old child; and Christian Monterroso, convicted by an Orange County jury for the 1991 murders of Tarsem Singh and Ashokkumar Patel and the attempted murder of Allen Canellas.

Each remains on death row with pending appeals.

Hat tip: Patterico’s Pontifications’ How One Person Managed To Thwart And Delay The Death Penalty For Years In California Through Her Lies And Perjury

Nothing illegal here. Move along, move along… Part 3

From the AP via WUSA 9 in Washington, D.C.: Priest Charged In Embezzlement Scheme Indicted On Federal Charges:

A Roman Catholic priest charged in state court with embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from two rural churches was indicted Tuesday on federal fraud charges, federal prosecutors said.

A federal grand jury indicted the Rev. Rodney L. Rodis, 51, of Fredericksburg, on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced in a news release.

According to the indictment, Rodis embezzled money from Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Bumpass and St. Jude Church in Mineral from 2002 until last year. Rodis wired at least $515,231 of misappropriated parishioner contributions to the Philippines, the release said.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond has said Rodis embezzled more than $600,000 from the churches, where he was pastor from 1993 until his retirement last May.

Rodis is being held at Central Virginia Regional Jail in Orange County on 13 state felony embezzlement charges stemming from the incident. In May, Rodis’ bond was revoked after he violated terms of his bond.

“If the federal authorities had indicted Father Rodney for the same offenses for which he was standing trail in the state court, then arguably double jeopardy principles would prevent him from being tried in both courts for the same offense,” said Rodis’ lawyer, John R. Maus.

No, it doesn’t, you idiot. Where the hell did you go to law school? How the hell did you pass the bar? Of course, this isn’t the first moronic argument you’ve made.

Maus would not comment further on the charges because he had not yet seen the indictment.

Lousia [sic] County Commonwealth’s Attorney Don Short said he’s not surprised by the charges, but believes it probably will cause the state charges to be dropped in order to allow federal authorities to proceed.

Rodis used a post office box to obtain checks from parishioners, which he would transfer to a personal bank account and wire to the Philippines, according to court documents.

The release said that Rodis used the money and property intended for church use for his spouse and three biological children, “whom he concealed” by living about 50 miles from the church.

The case against Rodis originated in November when officials with the Catholic Diocese of Richmond found a Pennsylvania donor’s check was deposited in a bank account they knew nothing about.

Imagine if they had been men… Part 2

From the AP via NBC 4 in Washington, D.C.: Inmate Who Allegedly Had Sex With Guards Back In Jail [emphasis mine]:

A man who allegedly had sex with two female Prince William County corrections officers while he was under house arrest is back in jail.

Authorities said the 23-year-old violated the terms of his work release. He is serving the remaining three weeks of his sentence at the Rappahannock County jail.

Two Prince William corrections officers are accused of having sexual relations with the man. Maria Torres-Corbin and Tamara Fay Bonos were charged with carnal knowledge of an inmate. Officials said neither of the women knew about the other one.

Although the sex was consensual, officials say it’s a crime because of the custodial relationship.

Prince William jail officials said the inmate skipped his scheduled work, left early without permission and visited Bonos at her home.

So, now the victim of this horrible crime is in jail? Where’s the outrage?

Justice in Caroline? Nope, just nolle prosequis. Part 4, a trip down memory lane.

Since there was no court proceedings section in the August 15, 2007, edition of The Caroline Progress, I decided to go way back to the June 27, 2007, and July 4, 2007, editions.

From The Caroline Progress (print edition, June 27, 2007): General District Court-June 15 and 22 [emphasis mine throughout]:

Deonia Melissa Sue Donald, of Ruther Glen, was charged with felony prescription fraud from an incident on Nov. 15, 2006. The charge was nolle prosequi. A subsequent charge of failure to appear on the felony charge from Feb. 2 was also nolle prosequi. Two felony possession of controlled substance charges from the same incident were certified to grand jury. Donald was arrested by Caroline County Sheriff’s deputy [sic] DIP [sic] on the day of the incident and held in custody.

The Caroline Progress needs to do a little fact-checking before publishing. First, only one of the two controlled substance charges were certified; the other was nolle prosequi. Second, she was also charged with possession of marijuana, which was also nolle prosequi. Third, I believe she was only held in custody following her arrest on the failure to appear (which was later nolle prosequi). But anyway, a complete breakdown:

  • Deonia Melissa Sue Donald’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • September 6, 2007, Stafford County General District:
      • Pending – Driving on suspended license.
      • Pending – Failure to appear on misdemeanor.
      • Pending – Capias/Failure to appear.
      • Pending – Capias/Failure to comply pretrial.
    • June 15, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Prescription fraud.
      • Nolle prosequi – Failure to appear on felony charge.
      • Nolle prosequi – Possession of controlled substance.
      • Grand Jury (Pending in Circuit Court, next hearing September 25, 2007) – Possession of controlled substance.
      • Nolle prosequi – Possession of marijuana.
    • March 8, 2007, Stafford County General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – Operating uninspected vehicle.
    • May 24, 2006, Caroline County General District:
      • Prepaid – Safety belt violation.

Jermaine Brown, of Ruther Glen, was charged with felony grand larceny from an incident on Feb. 20. He was arrested by Caroline County Sheriff’s Deputy Cecil on Feb. 21 and held in custody. The charge was nolle prosequi.

  • Jermaine Brown’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • October 12, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Pending – Possession of stolen goods.
      • Pending – Forged license plates.
    • August 10, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty, appealing to Circuit Court – Assault
      • Guilty, appealing to Circuit Court – Assault
      • Guilty, appealing to Circuit Court – Disorderly Conduct
    • June 15, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Grand larceny.

So Mr. Jermaine Brown was held in custody for 114 days, went through four hearings, just to have the charge nolle prosequi? How much did that cost the county? How about the other charges he has been convicted of (he is appealing them) and the ones he is charged with now?

Quinton W. Byrd, of Bowling Green, was charged with misdemeanor possession of concealed weapon from an incident on March 24. The charge was nolle prosequi.

The Caroline Progress leaves out the fact he was convicted of driving under the influence the same day. A drunk illegally carrying a concealed weapon? I guess that isn’t worth prosecuting. He was probably going to Bible study anyway.

  • Quinton W. Byrd’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • June 15, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Concealed weapon.
      • Guilty – Driving under the influence.

Lashiba Cameo Budd, of Ruther Glen, was charged with misdemeanor shoplifting from an incident on April 2. The charge was nolle prosequi.

  • Lashiba Cameo Budd’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • June 22, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Shoplifting.
    • September 30, 2005, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Intent to sell controlled substance.
    • April 22, 2003, Stafford County General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – Driving on suspended license.
    • August 6, 2001, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Cursing abuse.

From The Caroline Progress (print edition, July 4, 2007): Circuit Court-Month of June [emphasis mine throughout]:

Kenneth W. Derricotte, of Ruther Glen, was charged with felony possession of crack cocaine from a March 28, 2006 incident. The charge was nolle prosequi.

  • Kenneth W. Derricotte’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • June 20, 2007, Caroline County Circuit Court:
      • Nolle prosequi – Possession of crack cocaine.
    • February 16, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Shoplifting.
      • Guilty – Failure to appear on misdemeanor charge.
    • June 30, 2006, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Drunk in public.
    • January 21, 2004 Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Shoplifting.

Benjamin Garlick, of Bowling Green, was charged with felony distribution of cocaine from an Oct. 13, 2006 incident. He was arrested on April 16, 2007 following a direct indictment by Caroline County grand jury. The charged was nolle prosequi. Another felony distribution of cocaine charge against Garlick was continued to Aug. 14.

  • Benjamin Garlick’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • August 14, 2007, Caroline County Circuit Court:
      • Guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
    • June 20, 2007, Caroline County Circuit Court:
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
    • May 20, 2003, Fredericksburg General District:
      • Guilty – Entering property with intent to damage.
    • May 10, 2001, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – No valid operator’s license.

Angela Latney, of Bowling Green, was charged with felony distribution of cocaine from an Oct. 19, 2005 incident. She was arrested on April 16, 2007 following a direct indictment by Caroline County grand jury. The charge was nolle prosequi. Two other charges against Latney of felony distribution of cocaine were continued to July 24.

  • Angela Latney’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • July 24, 2007, Caroline County Circuit Court:
      • Guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
    • June 20, 2007, Caroline County Circuit Court:
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.

Michael Freeman, of Ruther Glen, was charged with five counts of felony distribution of cocaine from 2005. He was arrested on Jan. 9, 2007 following a direct indictment by Caroline County grand jury. Four of the charges were nolle prosequi. He was found guilty of one count of distribution of cocaine following a bench trial on June 26 and sentenced to five years with four years and three months suspended.

  • Michael Freeman’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • June 26, 2007, Caroline County Circuit Court:
      • Guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.

James Laplante, of Ruther Glen, was charged with six counts of felony distribution of cocaine from late 2005 and early 2006. He was arrested on Jan. 9, 2007 following a direct indictment by Caroline County grand jury. Five of the charges were nolle prosequi. He was found guilty of one count of distribution of cocaine following a bench trial on June 26. He was sentenced to five years with four years and three months suspended.

  • James Laplante’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • June 26, 2007, Caroline County Circuit Court:
      • Guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
    • January 23, 2007, Hanover County General District:
      • Guilty – Identify fraud.
      • Guilty – Public swearing or intoxication.
      • Guilty – Reckless driving.
    • January 20, 2004, Hanover County General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – Operating vehicle with expired rejection sticker.

Julio Castellon, of Bowling Green, was charged with seven counts of felony distribution of cocaine from early 2007. He was arrested on May 14 following a direct indictment by Caroline County grand jury. Four the charges were nolle prosequi. The other three were continued for a bench trial on Aug. 14.

He wasn’t charged with seven counts of distribution of cocaine; he was charged with five counts of distribution of cocaine, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm while possessing cocaine, but anyway:

  • Julio Castellon’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • August 24, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Pending – Possession of Schedule I/II drug with intent to distribute.
      • Pending – Capias – Failure to comply pretrial/arraignment.
    • August 14, 2007, Caroline County Circuit Court:
      • Guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Guilty – Distribution of cocaine.
    • July 6, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Possession of marijuana.
    • June 26, 2007, Caroline County Circuit Court:
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Distribution of cocaine.
      • Nolle prosequi – Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
      • Nolle prosequi – Possessing firearm while possessing cocaine.
    • January 5, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – No driver’s license.
      • Prepaid – Defective equipment.
    • April 26, 2006, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – No driver’s license.

From The Caroline Progress (print edition, July 4, 2007): General District Court-June 29 [emphasis mine throughout]:

Mark Edward Powell, of Ruther Glen, was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle from an incident on Jan. 21. The charge was nolle prosequi.

  • Mark Edward Powell’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • August 24, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Pending – Hit and run.
      • Pending – Habitual offender.
      • Pending – Reckless Driving.
    • June 29, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Unauthorized use of vehicle.
      • Guilty – Petit larceny – vehicle/parts.
    • September 15, 2006, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Prepaid – Failure to obey no wake zone.
    • March 18, 2005, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Possession of marijuana.
      • Nolle prosequi – Possession of a controlled substance.
      • Nolle prosequi – Drunk in public.
    • February 5, 2004, Fredericksburg General District:
      • Guilty – Shoplifting, second offense.
    • January 8, 2004, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Failure to comply with VASAP.
    • August 21, 2003, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Failure to appear on misdemeanor.
      • Guilty – Driving while intoxicated, second offense.
    • April 13, 2001, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Driving on suspended license.
      • Nolle prosequi – Defective equipment.
    • February 8, 2000, Fredericksburg General District:
      • Guilty – Petit larceny.
    • December 27, 1999, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Drunk in public.
    • January 22, 1999, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Driving on suspended license.
      • Guilty – Failure to appear.
      • Nolle prosequi – Failure to report accident.
      • Nolle prosequi – Reckless driving.

Anthony J. Stewart, of Ruther Glen, was charged with two felony counts of possession of controlled substance from an incident on March 18. One charge was nolle prosequi. The other was certified to grand jury.

  • Anthony J. Stewart’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • June 29, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Grand jury – Possession of a controlled substance.
      • Nolle prosequi – Possession of a controlled substance.
      • Nolle prosequi – Possession of marijuana.
    • August 6, 2006, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – 79/55 reckless driving.
    • September 21, 1999, Stafford County General District:
      • Fugitive file – Driving after being declared a habitual offender.
      • Fugitive file – Failure to appear.
      • Fugitive file – Possession of marijuana.
      • Fugitive file – Defective equipment.
      • Fugitive file – Seat belt violation.
    • June 14, 1999, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Possession of marijuana.
    • February 16, 1999, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Trespassing.
    • January 25, 1999, Fredericksburg Circuit:
      • Guilty – Driving suspended, second offense.
    • November 10, 1998, Fredericksburg General District:
      • Guilty – Running red light.
    • February 3, 1998, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Speeding 60/45.

Timothy Thomas Gaumer, of Woodford, was charged with misdemeanor use of obscene language and misdemeanor assault from an incident on June 4. Both charges were nolle prosequi.

  • Timothy Thomas Gaumer’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • June 29, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Obscene language.
      • Nolle prosequi – Assault.
    • July 18, 2005, Fredericksburg Circuit:
      • Sentence/Probation revoked – Violation of parole.
    • November 17, 2004, Caroline County Circuit:
      • Guilty – Assault.
      • Guilty – Malicious wounding.
    • July 17, 2000, Fredericksburg Circuit:
      • Guilty – Attempted robbery.
      • Guilty – Assault and battery.
    • January 21, 2000, Stafford County General District:
      • Guilty – Defrauding innkeeper.
    • November 18, 1999, Fredericksburg General District:
      • Guilty – Open burning.
      • Guilty – Drunk in public.
    • November 9, 1999, Fredericksburg General District:
      • Guilty – Trespassing.
    • September 16, 1999, Fredericksburg General District:
      • Guilty – Trespassing.
      • Guilty – Drinking in public.
    • August 19, 1999, Fredericksburg General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – Possessing alcohol on riverbank.
      • Guilty in absentia – Drinking in public.
      • Guilty in absentia – Drinking in public.
    • July 13, 1999, Fredericksburg General District:
      • Guilty – Petit larceny.
    • July 12, 1999, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – Drunk in public.
    • April 21, 1999, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – Failure to use seatbelt.
    • December 11, 1998, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Abduction.
    • October 21, 1998, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Obstruction of justice.
    • January 17, 1997, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Failure to appear.

Laura Lee Whittemore, of Corbin, was charged with misdemeanor damaging property from an incident on June 4. The charge was nolle prosequi.

  • Laura Lee Whittemore’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • June 29, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Damaging property.
    • June 22, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Driving while suspended.
      • Guilty – Operating uninspected vehicle.
    • June 11, 2007, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Driving on suspended license.
    • April 21, 2006, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Driving on suspended license.
      • Guilty – No registration card.
      • Guilty – 70/55 speeding.
    • March 15, 2004, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Driving while suspended.
      • Guilty – Failure to appear on misdemeanor.
    • January 25, 2001, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – Driving while operator’s license suspended.
      • Guilty in absentia – Show cause, failure to appear on misdemeanor.
      • Guilty in absentia – Failure to secure child under the age of 16 with seatbelt.
    • April 1, 1999, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – Operating vehicle without license.
    • November 13, 1998, Stafford County General District:
      • Guilty in absentia – No valid operator’s license.

Gregory Leroy Boone, of Woodford, was charged with drinking while driving. The charge was nolle prosequi.

  • Gregory Leroy Boone’s partial criminal history (felonies in bold, nolle prosequi by Harvey Latney in italics):
    • September 21, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Pending – Revocation of suspended sentence.
    • June 29, 2007, Caroline County General District:
      • Nolle prosequi – Drinking while driving
      • Guilty – Driving while intoxicated, second offense within five years.
      • Guilty – Driving after forfeiture of license.
    • April 7, 2006, Caroline County General District:
      • Guilty – Second driving under the influence.
      • Guilty – 56/45 speeding.
    • May 24, 2001, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Expired registration.
    • May 28, 1998, Spotsylvania County General District:
      • Guilty – Improper driving.

NOTE: (For the criminal histories, I only checked Caroline, Hanover, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, as well as the city of Fredericksburg.)

Imagine if they had been men…

From the AP via NBC 4 in Washington, D.C.: 2 Corrections Officers Charged With Having Sex With Inmate [emphasis mine]:

Two female Prince William County corrections officers have been charged with having sexual relations with the same former inmate while he was still in the county’s custody on house arrest.

The two women apparently never knew about each other, authorities said.

Maria C. Torres-Corbin, 48, a master jail officer with almost 20 years’ experience, was arrested last week and charged with having carnal knowledge of an inmate, a felony. Torres-Corbin, of Fredericksburg, recently had been assigned to the work-release center, where she was responsible for checking on inmates in the electronic-monitoring program.

Then, on Wednesday, police charged Tamara Fay Bonos, 32, with the same crime.

Bonos, of Manassas, was an entry-level officer who worked at the main building of the regional jail for 18 months, said the jail’s superintendent, Col. Charles “Skip” Land.

[…]

Police said the corrections officers were off-duty when the incidents occurred at the inmate’s home. They said the man had been held in the county jail before he was put on work release and then on electronic monitoring while at home, police said.

“It was consensual,” Land said, “but if you read the code, the female officers had custodial rights over him. … Therein lies the problem.”

I’m absolutely certain he would have made that comment if the two correction officers had been male.

Even I think this is a little too much…

From the AP via NBC 4 in Washington, D.C.: Jury Recommends 135 Years For Man Who Sold 6 Pills [emphasis mine]:

A Dickenson County jury has recommended 135 years in prison and a $600,000 fine for a man they convicted of selling six prescription pills.

The jury deliberated about an hour Thursday evening before convicting Jody Bill Powers, 49, of selling two pills on three different occasions within 1,000 feet of a school.

The sales happened in 2005 and involved OxyContin and morphine. Powers sold the drugs near the apartment complex near Haysi, where he lived.

Dickenson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Short said the sentence is the most harsh he’s heard of. Short said he thinks people in southwest Virginia “are sick and tired of drug addiction.”

The final decision on the sentence is left to a judge, who will consider the jury’s recommendation when he sentences Powers on Dec. 13.

Like, I said, this is a little too much.

Too bad we can’t get verdicts like this in Caroline County because Harvey Latney won’t attempt to get jury trials for drug charges. Instead, they get five years with five years suspended in a bench trial. That’s really going to stop the drug problem in the county.

Lookie what I found…

From Virginia Lawyers Weekly (November 6, 2006)pdficon_small [emphasis mine throughout]:

Accountings for the estate of Florence C. Williams by executor Harvey Latney Jr. were past due, so Richmond Commissioner of Accounts Richard C. Manson Jr. began writing letters and calling Latney.

After more than a year of such efforts, including threats to report him to the Virginia State Bar, Manson finally had Latney summoned to Richmond Circuit Court on Oct. 16.

He didn’t appear, an astonishing development to Manson.

Latney is the commonwealth’s attorney in Caroline County, a part-time job because of the county’s small population. He also has an office in Richmond, from which he conducts a general practice that includes real estate closings and administration of estates, so Manson was familiar with him and his usual diligence.

Judge Richard D. Taylor Jr. was presiding that day in the absence of Judge Margaret P. Spencer, who typically handles matters brought by Manson.

Manson told Taylor that he knew Latney to be reliable and asked the judge to continue the case to Oct. 19, so that he could find out what was behind his absence.

By apparent coincidence, Latney’s secretary of 27 years was seriously injured in an automobile wreck in Caroline County that same day.

Manson reached Latney the next day and asked why he had not reacted to the summons. Latney responded that his secretary had told him that she had spoken with Manson and Judge Spencer and that he did not need to appear.

Manson asked Latney why he had not reacted to the 25 or more telephone messages and five letters that Manson had sent in the previous three months. What phone calls? What letters? Latney responded.

Manson said he became very suspicious at this point, especially because the secretary had mentioned Judge Spencer as the judge who was handling the case, when Taylor was acting in her stead.

He advised Latney to check the bank account for the estate.

Latney found that about $185,000 appeared to be missing. He resigned as executor and has been replaced by Greer P. Jackson Jr. An audit of his office accounts is underway.

At a brief court proceeding last week, Manson told Judge Spencer that the money has been taken out of the estate, “apparently by Mr. Latney’s secretary… “There’s no question that the money is out of the estate and needs to be put back,” Manson said.

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew P. Geary said his office was advised of the circumstances about a week before the hearing. He attended the hearing and said the matter has been turned over to Richmond police for investigation.

Spencer continued the matter until Dec. 11 to give Jackson an opportunity to review the estate and the auditors of Latney’s accounts time to complete their work.

One family member said they understood that Latney was responsible for returning the money to the estate, but he said they wanted to know how the process of administering the estate and reviewing that administration had broken down. Ms. Williams died in May 2002.

Spencer said she expected answers to that question at the hearing.

I’m guessing the phrase “equal protection” doesn’t mean anything to you… Part 11, the Lawyer Full Employment Act

As mentioned by a lawyer previously, it’s the Lawyer Full Employment Act.

From The Washington Post: Armed With Checkbooks and Excuses, First Casualties of Va. Fees Go to Court [emphasis mine]:

Those lucky enough to live out of state or to have been pulled over before the fees went into effect July 1 — the “magic date,” as one judge called it — escaped the penalties, as did many who hired attorneys who were able to argue for lesser charges or continuances.

[…]

Norquest, who works for Fairfax County Family Services, also said she did not see the point of hiring a lawyer at a cost of hundreds or thousands of dollars. “You’re either paying for one or you’re paying for the other,” she said.

For those who didn’t know, Delegate David B. Albo (R-Fairfax), one of the sponsors of the bill, is a lawyer, and co-founder of a law firm that specializes in the defense of traffic offenses. No conflict of interest there, eh?

Hat tip: Matt “threat to democracy” Drudge