The father of Frederick Gray, who was killed by police at Squire Hill in 1997, has filed suit against Albemarle County and several members of the police force for wrongful death. Abraham Gray Jr. and his attorney, Deborah Wyatt, filed a 35-page document alleged an extended history of misconduct, racism, and incompetence on the part of the Albemarle police force. In addition, Gray alleges that the whole system is riddled with cover-ups and instances of criminal wrongdoing on the part of particular members of the force. Adrienne Schwisow has an extensive article in today’s Progress, which is well worth reading to get a proper grasp of everything that this suit encompasses.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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I’m not sure what all the rest of the stuff in this suit has to do with the case at hand, or what Deborah Wyatt would even include things like (I kid you not) “rumors” in the submitted document. Maybe they’re trying to scare the county into settling. I guess this might be considered establishing a pattern of negligence, but some of this stuff is pretty severe. Either this will be tossed out, or this will turn into something pretty huge. But I suspect that it will be one extreme or the other, not something in the middle.