Chance cut short?
Russell Wilson A8
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Richmond Free Press © 2015 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
VOL. 24 NO. 5
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
www.richmondfreepress.com
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JAnuary 29-31, 2015
#BlackLivesMatter
It’s not your parents’ revolution By Cindy Huang
Black lives matter to Evandra Catherine. And that means more than fixing a broken criminal justice system. “Black Lives Matter doesn’t only focus on police brutality. Black lives also matter in systematic things like housing, education, looking for jobs, wages,” said Ms. Catherine, referring to the Black Lives Matter movement, a grassroots network of organizations and community leaders working to improve the lives of black people on all fronts. Today’s social justice movement — an unpredictable eruption of highly visible Please turn to A4
VSU spring enrollment brings optimism By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Enrollment at Virginia State University has dropped less than initially projected — good news for the school and a relief to Dr. Pamela V. Hammond, the interim president. The latest figures indicate nearly 4,500 students are enrolled and validated as meeting their financial obligations. That’s about 130 students fewer than projected for the spring semester in the university’s budget. Earlier this month, Dr. Hammond and VSU’s board of visitors were advised that fewer than 4,250 students might be enrolled this semester. Dr. Hammond told the Free Press last week the higher enrollment means she will not have to consider additional personnel actions to balance the budget. After taking office Jan. 1, she ordered a freeze on hiring and other spending to stabilize finances and those freezes are still in place. She said the freezes should keep spending in line with revenue through the rest of the fiscal year. But the improved enroll-
Patrick Record/The Ann Arbor News/Associated Press
University of Michigan student William Royster stands with the “#Black Lives Matter” message taped over his mouth as he is surrounded by students at the Ann Arbor, Mich., university staging a recent “die-in” protesting the killing of unarmed black men by white police officers.
Documents surface in Morrissey case By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Information has begun to surface that appears to bolster Delegate Joseph D. Morrissey’s claim that the new felony charges against him “are absolutely false.” Take the court document that the Henrico County grand jury has charged the scandal-tainted legislator with forging — the key element of the four counts
on which he is to be arraigned Monday, Feb. 9. The Free Press has discovered that the allegedly forged document is actually part of a five-page exhibit in a lawsuit that was filed in Chesterfield County Circuit Court six months before the delegate is alleged to have illegally created it and had his lawyers present it to a Henrico court. The Free Press also has
learned that Coleman D. Pride, the man whose assertions to authorities that his signature on the document was bogus led to the charges against Delegate Morrissey, actually mailed the original document on May 18, 2007 — more than seven years earlier — to the mother of his two daughters. The original document was shown by sources to the Free Press. This new information seems
U.S. surgeon general checks health, pulse of Richmond
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By Cindy Huang
The surgeon general of the United States learned Tuesday that affording health care is as much of a struggle as maintaining good health for some Richmond residents. Dr. Vivek Murthy, who at 37 is one of the youngest surgeon generals in the nation’s history and the first of IndianAmerican descent, met with community leaders, health care workers and residents in Richmond at The Daily Planet, a health center on West Grace Street that serves the homeless and low-income people and families. On this segment of his Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Dr. Vivek Murthy
to undermine the C.A. Kelly, whose indictments against investigation led to Delegate Morristhe new charges, sey and the woman, said only that he Deidre L. Warren, was “interested” in that he is accused the new information, of conspiring with to but did not comment create the document further. and falsely testify Ms. Warren could about it. not be reached for Delegate Morriscomment. Delegate sey and his attorneys All of the new Morrissey declined to comment charges stem from the on the latest information. Sherri Dec. 12 sentencing hearing in A. Thaxton, the attorney who which Delegate Morrissey was filed the Chesterfield County convicted of the misdemeanor of lawsuit, also declined to com- contributing to the delinquency ment. of a minor after allegedly havSo did William F. Neely, the ing a sexual relationship with a special prosecutor who presented 17-year-old receptionist in his the evidence against Delegate law office. The teen, Myrna Morrissey to the grand jury. Henrico Police Detective Please turn to A4
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McDonnell skirts jail with appeal By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Former Gov. Bob McDonnell will remain free on bond while he appeals his conviction on corruption charges. In a win for the one-time Republican star, he will not have to report to prison in two weeks to start his two-year sentence. That’s the result of Monday’s order from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The order approved the request from Mr. McDonnell’s legal team for him to remain free while his jury conviction is challenged. The two-page order also took a slap at U.S. Judge James R. Spencer, who presided
over the McDonnell trial. Unlike Judge Spencer, the appellate court found the McDonnell appeal would raise a “substantial question of law” that could result in a new trial or an outright reversal of Mr. McDonnell his conviction. Judge Spencer found just the opposite when he earlier rejected Mr. McDonnell’s request to remain free during the appeal as a delay tactic.
Despite his conviction, the former governor maintains he did not sell his office in exchange for expensive gifts and loans from corporate executive Jonnie Williams, who was seeking the governor’s help to pump up interest in his dietary supplement business. Mr. McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, were found guilty in September of accepting $177,000 in gifts and loans from Mr. Williams. One of the key questions the defense raised throughout was whether the former governor did anything that could be called Please turn to A4
Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Let it snow Joshua Washington, 8, plays in what appears to be snow at the Children’s Museum of Richmond on Broad Street. The flakes actually were dispersed by a snow machine during the museum’s recent Snow Days Festival. The fun-filled event included an appearance by the Virginia Repertory Theatre’s “Snow Bear,” the Richmond Symphony Instrumental Petting Zoo and winter-themed art projects and other activities.