Lawsuit Over Rapist DNA Testing

Published by Waldo Jaquith on July 23, 2004 in Law and Justice. 4 Comments

Charlottesville resident Larry Monroe has filed suit against Detective James Mooney for harassment, alleging that Mooney repeatedly sought a DNA sample from Monroe to remove himself from the pool of potential suspects in the rape case, despite Monroe’s refusals and the fact that he does not substantially resemble the rapist. His attorney, Deborah Wyatt, says that the detective’s actions were not those of the police department, and is seeking just $15,000 in damages. The fact that somebody would file suit has seemed all-but-inevitable, after the national press that the Charlottesville Police got because of this profiling before they suspended the testing in April. Liesel Nowak had the story in Wednesday’s Progress.

Disclosure: Deborah Wyatt represented me in Schleifer vs. City of Charlottesville, the youth curfew case, some years ago.

Fashion Square Kidnapping: Real?

Published by Waldo Jaquith on July 23, 2004 in Politics. 1 Comment

Two weeks ago, the three major local media outlets (WVIR, WINA, and the Progress) all reported extensively on the attempted kidnapping of an eight-year-old boy at Fashion Square Mall and its prevention by an anonymous hero. Oddly, in the time since, there’s been no followup, no police leads, and no evidence. It’s become unclear whether or not the story is true, but none of these media outlets have followed up to let people know what’s going on. In a great bit of news analysis, Lisa Province follows up in this week’s Hook.

City Foresees Financial Trouble

Published by Waldo Jaquith on July 20, 2004 in General News. 5 Comments

At last night’s Council meeting, City Manager Gary O’Connell warned that the city’s finances are altogether too dependent on real estate tax revenues, which he described as unhealthy and bad for the market. O’Connell advocates a 5% limit on new real estate tax revenues and raising other fees and taxes in order to compensate. O’Connell’s suggestions normally come along with the issuance of an annual financial report to Council, presented each November, but he felt that the urgency of the situation necessitated some earlier notice. Elizabeth Nelson has the story in today’s Progress.

Council Moves Elections to November

Published by Waldo Jaquith on July 20, 2004 in General News. 2 Comments

At last night’s City Council meeting, the second and final vote was held on the matter of moving City Council elections to November, approving the measure with the caveat that the move not take effect until 2007, WINA reports. Newcomers David Brown and Kendra Hamilton sided with Rob Schilling, who had protested having his term cut short. (Note that all councillors terms are cut short by this change.) Like all such election-procedure modifications, the change must be approved by the Department of Justice before it takes effect. 5:20pm Update: The Progress has Liz Nelson’s story on-line now.

Protest Over New Planned Parenthood Office

Published by Waldo Jaquith on July 15, 2004 in Politics. 8 Comments

Last night, a hundred people went to the Albemarle Board of Supervisors to ask that Planned Parenthood be barred from opening a new office on Hydraulic Road, and their request was denied. After a group prayer — which Progress writer David Dadurka writes “went unanswered” — a series of speakers requested that the zoning permit be yanked, preventing the family planning center from providing contraception, birth control, prenatal care, abortions, HIV testing, and other services at the location. They objected to the location, which is a mile from Albemarle High School and on the same street as a pair of churches. The BOS said, simply, that they lack any legal authority to make any such restriction. David Dadurka has the story in today’s Progress.

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