The Weekly Recap

The following selected stories appeared in the Virginia Lawyers Weekly Daily E-Mail Alert from May 7 to May 11. The originating source of a story is indicated after the item. Please note that not all links may remain active. If you are not presently receiving the Daily Alert, please click here to sign up.

May 7

Cops who were disciplined after Vegas trip lose lawsuit

Police officers who called in sick to make a trip to Las Vegas sued the police chief and captain who met them at the airport when they returned, but a federal judge has dismissed the lawsuit. The plaintiffs claimed an unconstitutional show of force by their superiors at the airport; they were stripped of their badges in an open area. But the defense argued, and the judge agreed, that the defendants were bosses handing out discipline to employees.
Washington Post

Chesterfield prosecutor to seek clerk’s job

Chesterfield County prosecutor Dennis Collins has announced he will seek the Republican nomination for county circuit clerk. Incumbent Judy Worthington has held the post for nearly 16 years.
Richmond Times-Dispatch

May 8

Harassment case against former sheriff settled

A confidential settlement has been reached in a sexual harassment case filed by a Portsmouth deputy against the city’s former sheriff.
The Virginian-Pilot

Metro-Richmond detectives make progress in cases from early ’90s

Police detectives in the metro Richmond area have made headway in two unsolved murders from the early 1990s. An indictment was obtained in a 1991 Richmond case and Chesterfield County detectives have leads that could solve a 1990 double slaying there.
Richmond Times-Dispatch

May 9

Lynchburg’s City Hall not in compliance with ADA

An independent state agency says that Lynchburg’s City Hall building is not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Virginia Office of Protection and Advocacy in April sent three people – two in wheelchairs and one with walking difficulties – into the 1930s-era building to see if there were problems with accessibility.
The News & Advance

Williamsburg eatery remains open despite salmonella link

The Peninsula Health Department has linked salmonella contamination to the illnesses of dozens of people who have fallen ill after eating food from Williamsburg’s popular Green Leafe Café. Among those who got sick: members of the band My Chemical Romance, which played at the College of William & Mary in April. The Green Leafe remains open while the investigation continues.
The Daily Press

OxyContin maker settles complaint from states

Purdue Pharma LP, the maker of the pain-killer OxyContin, will pay $19.5 million to 26 states and the District of Columbia to settle complaints about its aggressive marketing of the drug. Virginia will see $949,500 of that money.
Richmond Times-Dispatch

May 10

McDonnell to NYC’s Bloomberg: Stop gun stings

Attorney General Bob McDonnell has written New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, telling him to stop sending private investigators into Virginia to look for illegal gun sales. Come July, a new law takes effect that would let Virginia charge the mayor and his agents with a felony.
Washington Post

Mariners Museum sues former archivist

The Mariners Museum in Newport News is suing a former archivist, claiming that he took and then sold items from the museum on eBay.
The Daily Press

Two death suits filed by hit-and-run victims in Norfolk

Two separate wrongful death lawsuits have been filed in Norfolk Circuit Court by the families of pedestrians killed by hit-and-run drivers. Each suit seeks $1 million.
The Virginian-Pilot

Nine U.Va. students indicted for Hokie Bird damage

Nine University of Virginia students have been indicted for felony destruction of property for taking a fiberglass Hokie Bird statue in March. A U.Va. official confirmed that the young men were fraternity pledges.
Roanoke Times

May 11

Frederick County seeking a new county attorney

Lawrence Ambrogi has served as county attorney for Frederick County since 1969. The Winchester Star reports that he has announced he will retire when a successor is found. The county has started the search, but it has retained Robert T. Mitchell Jr. in the interim for legal advice on planning and development.
Winchester Star

Judge sets aside first-degree murder convictions, plea deal not disclosed

An Orange County circuit judge has set aside two first-degree murder convictions obtained last September, reports The Free Lance-Star. The commonwealth’s attorney did not disclose to the defense that the star witness against the defendant had reached a plea agreement with the state.
The Free Lance-Star