
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 20, 1990                   TAG: 9005200194
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

PROSECUTOR SAYS PLAINTIFF'S AWARD SHOULD PAY DEBT

A jury awarded a Richmond man $50,000 in a lawsuit against a city police detective, but a prosecutor wants the plaintiff to use the money to pay a long-standing court debt.

Sam Hunter was shot by Detective Richard Creery during a standoff in his home three years ago. Hunter won his lawsuit in Richmond Circuit Court last week.

But Commonwealth's Attorney Joseph Morrissey says Hunter owes the court more than $56,000 in unpaid criminal fines as a result of drug trafficking convictions in 1978. He said he plans to "vigorously take all legal steps" to recover the money, especially if Judge T.J. Markow allows the jury's award in the civil suit to stand.

Markow will rule late next month.

Hunter was fined $25,000 by a jury that convicted him 12 years ago. Morrisey said Hunter, paroled in April 1985, never paid the fine.

Since 1978, about $30,400 in interest has been added to Hunter's debt. That is roughly equivalent to a 10 percent annual interest rate. Another $659 in fees accumulated from a 1987 cocaine possession conviction raised Hunter's total debt to $56,883.

Hunter's attorney, Raymond Palmer, accused Morrisey of legal grandstanding.

"I question why they wait all this time" before trying to reclaim the money, Palmer said.

by CNB