In this week’s Hook, Lisa Provence has an account of the recent sentencing of several of the CHS attackers, along with a series of interesting quotes from some of the victims. With official apologies like “I’m sorry if I hurt anybody,” some of the victims are less than pleased with the outcome. You can read the story on The Hook’s site.
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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FYI:
The Progress article (06/05/02) on the sentencing is here.
And the Cavalier Daily article (06/13/02) is here.
The Daily Progress article is inaccurate. Reporter Adrienne Schwisow wrote, “In one of the January attacks, prosecutors said, the now 18-year-old put on house arrest Tuesday announced his desire to hit a woman, then got out of the car and approached a community college student walking alone on Grady Avenue. He and his friend, the 17-year-old girl sent to a detention center, then grabbed her purse, prosecutors said.” That is incorrect. I was at both the plea hearing and the sentencing. Prosecutors did not say that Howard and Merrick got out of the car and then grabbed her purse. They said that Vernon Howard and Candace Merrick got out the car and approached the victim and that then Vernon Howard held the victim while Candace Merrick hit her in the face 3-4 times. Then Vernon Howard threw the victim to the ground and THEN they grabbed her purse. The description written by Ms. Schwisow makes it sound as if the victim only had her purse snatched. Her description does not even match the information in the previous paragraph in the story which she wrote, “Those attacked in January all reported being approached from behind, then pushed to the ground, punched or kicked.”
If the victim had only had her purse snatched and she hadn’t been brutally assaulted she would probably not be experiencing the nightmares and generalized fear and stress that she now must learn to deal with. Whitewashing the brutal assault that victimized her doesn’t help. The Progress article and the slap on the wrist to Vernon Howard left her angry and hurt.
The Progress won’t publish a correction or even a letter to the editor pointing out the inaccuracies in the article.
Kevin, just sign your name if you’re going to be criticizing people’s work that personally. Jeez.
i was a victim of the attacks and want to thank kevin or whoever wrote that. the daily progress really pissed me off with this one and since they are too proud to admit that they are innaccurate, it is good that there are people who care enough to publish the truth.