Latest news with #DannyAvula
Washington Post
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Two Virginia cities resist law aimed at compensating wrongfully convicted men
RICHMOND — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is threatening to withhold some or perhaps all state funding from the city of Richmond until it pays $5.8 million to a man who was wrongly convicted of murdering a child and incarcerated for 45 years, a requirement under a state law geared toward that case and a similar one in Norfolk. Richmond, the state's capital city, has yet to compensate Marvin Leon Grimm Jr. for a miscarriage of justice that began with his 'coercive' interrogation by local police in 1975. His ordeal ended in 2024, when Grimm was finally cleared of the abduction, sexual assault and murder of a 3-year-old neighbor. Paroled in 2020 but forced to wear an ankle bracelet and register as a sex offender for four years after that, Grimm endured the longest wrongful incarceration in Virginia history and the second longest nationwide, according to a July 25 letter Youngkin wrote to Richmond Mayor Danny Avula. 'The background that led to Mr. Grimm's wrongful imprisonment is horrific,' Youngkin (R) wrote in the letter, which warned he would 'begin to withhold funds otherwise owed to the City' if Richmond does not pay by Aug. 15. The law empowering Youngkin to withhold funding should the city not pay Grimm took effect July 1. Avula indicated a desire to resolve the matter but also cited the 'significant' size of the payment in a reply to Youngkin on Thursday. 'We are currently reviewing the unfortunate circumstances of Mr. Grimm's incarceration and the City is fully reviewing the matter and subsequent legislation,' he wrote. 'The City intends to move toward a complete resolution of the matter shortly.' A similar scenario is playing out in Norfolk, where city officials have yet to pay Gilbert Merritt III the $2.62 million it owes for its part in a saga that put him behind bars for 20 years for a murder he did not commit. Youngkin has not been involved in that case. Juliet Hatchett, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law and co-director of the school's Innocence Project Clinic, said the city appears to believe that Gilbert was not wrongfully incarcerated. 'Norfolk's city attorney's office [is] certainly on notice about this and they have not indicated any willingness to pay thus far and have pushed back about the legitimacy of their obligation to do so,' said Hatchett, whose clinic has represented Merritt with assistance from the private firm McGuireWoods. Norfolk spokesman Brian Berusch declined to comment. The General Assembly formally acknowledged both wrongful-incarceration cases early this year, unanimously passing separate bills requiring the state to compensate the two men for their ordeals. State law adopted years earlier dictates that in cases of intentional wrongdoing by local officials, the locality must at least match whatever compensation the state provides. Legislators added teeth to the law this year, giving the governor the power to withhold some or all state funding to localities that refuse to pay compensation. They also scrapped a provision requiring that local governments pay their portion before the state can pay its part. The state paid its portion of the compensation — $5.8 million to Grimm and $2.62 million to Merritt — shortly after related legislation took effect July 1. In his letter to Richmond, Youngkin did not specify how much money he would withhold. The statute would allow the governor to withhold all funding, though that would amount to a 'nuclear' option, said Del. Richard C. 'Rip' Sullivan Jr. (D-Fairfax), who sponsored both compensation bills as well as legislation to amend the law. He said he hopes both cities will recognize their obligation and pay promptly. 'I don't doubt this creates a budget challenge for them, but … it's a debt that's legally, and in my view, morally owed to Mr. Grimm and Mr. Merritt for awful past acts by Richmond or Norfolk,' Sullivan said. Lawyers for each of the men said they reached out to the respective cities for months on the matter without success. Lawyers for Grimm, who has been represented by the private firm Arnold & Porter and the national Innocence Project, asked Youngkin to intervene because Richmond officials were not responding to them, as was first reported by The Richmonder news site. 'Unfortunately, although we have been attempting since early April to engage Richmond officials … they have not confirmed that they will meet their obligation, nor have they even agreed to meet with us to discuss the matter,' Jeffrey Horowitz of Arnold & Porter wrote to Youngkin on July 21. Hatchett said she has not asked for the governor's help in the Norfolk case. 'This is a law that was passed unanimously by the General Assembly and I would hope that we can get this sorted and paid without the need for the governor to intervene the way that he has in Richmond,' she said. 'I think it's commendable that he has spoken up … but I hope that's just not necessary because obviously the right thing is for Mr. Merritt to be paid according to the law.' Grimm was arrested in 1975, when a little boy who lived in the same Richmond apartment complex as he did went missing. The boy's body was discovered four days later, nine miles away in the James River, according to a case summary in Sullivan's bill. Weeks later, with no leads or suspects, Richmond police picked up Grimm, then 20. After 10 hours of 'aggressive' questioning, threats of the death penalty and 24 hours without sleep, Grimm confessed to the crime and later pleaded guilty in court. Grimm was nearly 70 when the Virginia Court of Appeals vacated his convictions in June 2024, based on DNA analysis unavailable in the 1970s as well as serology tests from the time that showed Grimm's blood type did not match evidence found at the scene. Merritt, now 47, was convicted in 2001 of murdering a man outside a Norfolk convenience store. No physical evidence tied him to the scene, but a woman testified that he had confessed the crime to her. She later recanted and said that Norfolk detective Robert Glenn Ford — who later became known for using coercive tactics — pressured her to make the false testimony, according to a case summary in Sullivan's bill. Ford was the lead homicide detective on the case of the Norfolk Four, four Navy veterans who were wrongly convicted of the rape and murder of a woman in the city in 1997. Investigators later concluded that Ford coerced false confessions out of the sailors, who were pardoned, and the detective was later convicted of taking bribes from criminals and sentenced to 12½ years in prison. Merritt spent more than two decades in prison before his conviction was vacated in July 2022. 'There's no way we can right these wrongs that have been done to these poor people but this is the system we've developed,' Sullivan said. 'And when we discover that someone has been wrongfully incarcerated and missed so much of their lives, we need to try to make it right.' Gregory S. Schneider contributed to this report.
Axios
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
Richmond wants you to know where people are speeding most
Richmond is giving the public access to its speed data dashboard. Why it matters: The city uses it to direct traffic engineers and planners where to focus their attention, and now they want drivers to use it to make safer choices. The big picture: It's part of the city's years-long effort to make Richmond streets safer through its Vision Zero plan. Richmond has ramped up its safer street efforts in recent years in response to surging pedestrian deaths by adding school zone speed cameras and traffic calming measures, like back-in angle parking. The dashboard has existed for about a year, and Mayor Danny Avula decided to make it public as part of his administration's "commitment to transparency." How it works: The data is compiled from locals' cell phone and car GPS systems, per a news release last week. It'll tell you where people are speeding in the city and how fast they're going. Take Semmes Avenue in South Richmond, where the posted speed limit is 30 mph. Per the dashboard, 85% of drivers there are going 31 mph or less. It's a different story over on the Fan's busy West Main Street, where the speed limit is 25 mph. Only 50% are hitting 26 mph or less. The intrigue: The dashboard doesn't just show speeders. If you click around, you can find the places in town where drivers are crawling through the city. Take West Grace Street in the Fan, which, like Main, is pedestrian-heavy, but unlike Main, has narrower streets and more traffic-calming measures, like four-way stops. There, the posted speed limit is also 25 mph, but 95% of drivers are clocking in at 18 mph or under. 50% are going 13 mph or under. Fun fact: 13 mph is just one tick higher than a " gentle breeze," per the National Weather Service. Caveat: The dashboard shows the most recent two-month view available and will be updated monthly with new data from the vendor, city spokesperson Paige Hairston tells Axios. What they're saying: "The noteworthy observation is the strong overlap between the High Injury Network and the streets with high speeds. People driving in Richmond need to slow down," she adds. Zoom out: To visualize the impact of speeding and how it can make streets more dangerous, the city last week unveiled a 54-foot ladder at the Diamond.
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Newsweek
Boil Water Advisory in Place for Richmond, Virginia
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Multiple neighborhoods in Richmond, Virginia, have been told to boil any water they consume or use bottled water after the city's water treatment plant experienced an "operational issue." Richmond's Department of Public Utilities issued a Boil Water Advisory on Tuesday, and it remains in effect until at least midday Thursday. Why It Matters People throughout Richmond are affected by the advisory, which means they may be at risk of consuming contaminated water. They have been advised to buy bottled water or boil their tap water for at least a minute; this includes tap water used for dishwashing, cooking, or teeth brushing. People have also been advised to refrain from drinking from water fountains in parks, public or private buildings, and to avoid using ice made from contaminated water. What To Know The advisory applies to all residents served by the Ginter Park Tank, including Byrd Park, Brookland Park, Carver, Carytown, Chamberlayne, the Fan, Ginter Park, Jackson Ward, Laburnum Park, the Museum District, the North Side, Oregon Hill, Randolph, Scott's Addition, VCU's Monroe Park campus and parts of the city center. It was later expanded to include Ancarrow's Landing, Bellemeade, Blackwell, Commerce Road Industrial Area, Hillside Court, Davee Gardens, Manchester, Oak Grove and Windsor. City of Richmond map showing which neighborhoods are affected by the boil water advisory. City of Richmond map showing which neighborhoods are affected by the boil water advisory. City of Richmond The advisory was issued after the City's Water Treatment Plant experienced an operational issue in the early hours of Tuesday morning. "The filters reclogged after running at full production for over an hour," city officials said. "The resulting issue diminished pressure in the distribution system and has impacted the Ginter Park Tank." In an update issued on Wednesday morning, officials said that the city is "getting closer to the end" of the advisory, which can only be lifted after two water sample tests taken 16 hours apart show a negative result. The first water sample, taken at around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, came back negative. The second water sample test was taken at around noon on Wednesday; results are expected early in the afternoon on Thursday. What People Are Saying Richmond Mayor Danny Avula, in a statement: "I'm encouraged that the first round of water sample results has come back with a negative result. Some parts of Richmond are still under a Boil Water Advisory as we await the second sample test, but this is very promising. We're hopeful for full clearance soon and are so grateful for everyone's patience and care." The City of Richmond's advisory: "The Boil Water Advisory was issued to protect public health due to low or no pressure in parts of the distribution system. The advisory will remain in effect for the impacted areas until two consecutive rounds of negative water sample tests." What Happens Next The city awaits the results of the second water sample test. Mayor Danny Avula said on Tuesday night that the earliest the advisory could be lifted would be midday Thursday, WTVR reported.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Virginia's capital is under a boil-water advisory after more water treatment operations issues
Officials issued a boil-water advisory Tuesday in parts of Virginia's capital city, leaving many residents without drinkable tap water following an operational issue at the city's water treatment plant for the second time this year. Richmond officials said that the city's water treatment plant experienced an operational hiccup that clogged some of the plant's filters. In the morning, the water system had been restored to full production, but reclogged roughly an hour later. Large swaths of the city, spanning Richmond's west end to downtown by the Capitol, and its northern neighborhoods, were under the advisory. In a news release, officials said all residents were asked to conserve water. Richmond Mayor Danny Avula said in a statement he would examine what caused the clogging and identify any future improvements at the water treatment facility. The boil-water advisory follows a nearly week-long period in January when approximately 230,000 Richmond residents were without drinkable tap water after a power failure caused a malfunction at the water treatment facility. In April, the Virginia Department of Health released a report saying the crisis was avoidable, pointing to city officials' poor emergency planning and faulty maintenance practices.
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Virginia's capital is under a boil-water advisory after more water treatment operations issues
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Officials issued a boil-water advisory Tuesday in parts of Virginia's capital city, leaving many residents without drinkable tap water following an operational issue at the city's water treatment plant for the second time this year. Richmond officials said that the city's water treatment plant experienced an operational hiccup that clogged some of the plant's filters. In the morning, the water system had been restored to full production, but reclogged roughly an hour later. Large swaths of the city, spanning Richmond's west end to downtown by the Capitol, and its northern neighborhoods, were under the advisory. In a news release, officials said all residents were asked to conserve water. Richmond Mayor Danny Avula said in a statement he would examine what caused the clogging and identify any future improvements at the water treatment facility. The boil-water advisory follows a nearly week-long period in January when approximately 230,000 Richmond residents were without drinkable tap water after a power failure caused a malfunction at the water treatment facility. In April, the Virginia Department of Health released a report saying the crisis was avoidable, pointing to city officials' poor emergency planning and faulty maintenance practices.
