Virginia

Law Hushed Va. Tech Gunman’s Disorder

Federal privacy and disability laws prohibited high school officials from revealing that the Virginia Tech gunman suffered from a social anxiety disorder. Fairfax County created a special education plan for Seung Hui Cho that allowed him to decline to participate in class discussions at his high school, the Washington Post…

Aug 27, 2007 4:44 PM CDT

Vick Pleads Guilty

Updated: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick pleaded guilty today to a federal conspiracy charge in connection with a dogfighting operation known as Bad Newz Kennels. Sentencing was set for Dec. 10, Reuters reports. At a press conference after entering the plea, Vick apologized, saying he accepted responsibility for his actions…

Aug 27, 2007 3:37 PM CDT

Va. Bad Driver Revisions Proposed

GOP leaders plan to introduce legislation to revise Virginia’s controversial law that imposes fees as high as $3,000 on in-state drivers who commit reckless driving offenses. The revisions would limit the number of offenses covered by the law, and would apply the high fees to out-of-state as well as in-state…

Aug 23, 2007 2:51 PM CDT

White House Has Written Manual on Protesters

A written White House manual sets uniform policies to be followed concerning those who protest presidential events. Among other measures, it calls for tight control of event tickets and screening of attendees to check for hidden signs. If that doesn’t work, as the Washington Post characterizes the manual’s instructions, “Any…

Aug 22, 2007 11:33 PM CDT

Va. Tech Panels: More Security Needed

More is needed to help keep students safe on campus, according to reports by three internal Virginia Tech review committees that were released today. The committees were appointed after a student gunman killed 32 students and faculty during a several-hour on-campus massacre on April 16, to help the university prevent…

Aug 22, 2007 10:56 PM CDT

Vick Agrees to Plea Deal, Prison ‘Likely’

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick reportedly will accept a plea deal in a week that is “likely” to put him to prison. Sentencing, however, is not expected to take place for months. According to one of his attorneys, Lawrence Woodward, the football superstar agreed to plead guilty to one charge…

Aug 20, 2007 6:55 PM CDT

Top Va. Tech Payment: $180k Per Death

Settlement amounts were announced today in a plan to compensate victims of the April massacre at Virginia Tech and their estates. Families of the 32 students and faculty shot to death by a troubled student will each be offered $180,000 under the plan, which is funded by donations, according to…

Aug 15, 2007 9:53 PM CDT

VA Roads Law Challenged

A group of 18 anti-tax activists and conservatives has filed suit challenging Virginia’s new transportation law, including its high fees for driving offenses. The suit claims the driving fees violate federal and state constitutional provisions regarding double jeopardy, equal protection and exorbitant fines, the Washington Post reports. The fees range…

Aug 8, 2007 2:30 PM CDT

VA Driver Fines Struck Down

A county judge struck down Virginia’s high fees for the state’s dangerous drivers yesterday. Judge Archer Yeatts III of Henrico County said the state law violates equal protection guarantees because it imposes higher fines on in-state drivers than out-of-state residents, the Washington Post reports. “A ‘dangerous’ driver is a ‘dangerous’…

Aug 3, 2007 2:54 PM CDT

Pit Bulls Get Reprieve

Virginia’s attorney general has issued a legal opinion that is sparing the lives of those condemned to die because of prejudice. The beneficiaries are stray pit bulls, the Washington Post reports. Animal shelters in three northern Virginia counties have already revised their policies to permit adoptions of pit bulls deemed…

Jul 30, 2007 6:13 PM CDT

Vick: I’m Not Guilty in Dogfighting Case

One of the nation’s marquee professional football players, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he has run an illegal dogfighting operation out of his property in rural Surry County, Va. since 2001. A federal magistrate in Richmond entered the plea today and released Vick…

Jul 27, 2007 12:35 AM CDT

Mich. Judge’s Warnings Unheeded

A Michigan judge says he tried to warn Virginia lawmakers about the dangers of high fines for motorist misdeeds, to no avail. Judge William Buhl of Van Buren County told the Washington Post he e-mailed all 140 legislators in Virginia opining that a similar Michigan program begun in 2003 was…

Jul 24, 2007 4:27 PM CDT

Leashed, Muzzled and Outed

Virginia is outing aggressive pets with its new Dangerous Dog Registry. Dogs get their mug shot on the registry if a judge has determined they attacked once and could do it again, the New York Times reports. Hawaii is considering a similar registry, and counties in Florida and New York…

Jul 23, 2007 6:06 PM CDT

Va. Tech Panel Urged to Assign Blame

Although the gunman who killed 32 and injured dozens more in an on-campus massacre at Virginia Tech earlier this year committed suicide at the scene, it is still important to assign blame for the shootings, parents told a review panel appointed by the state governor. Several parents said yesterday they…

Jul 19, 2007 6:09 PM CDT

Immigrants Face County Crackdown

Illegal immigrants wouldn’t be able to go to public schools, get free medical care or check out library books if Virginia’s second-largest county approves an anti-immigrant measure that is among the toughest in the nation. Prince William County is likely to approve the resolution on Tuesday, although it could be…

Jul 6, 2007 9:03 PM CDT