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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 3, 1993                   TAG: 9303030080
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: STAFFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

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2 SIBLINGS NEVER COME TO CUFFS OVER OPPOSING ROLES IN COURT

Detective Richard Rose makes his living putting people behind bars.

His younger brother, Public Defender Clifford Rose, works just as hard to set them free.

"I'm jail-'em Rose, and he's bail-'em Rose," Richard said.

"We keep each other employed," said Clifford.

Clifford became Stafford County's public defender in October but hasn't met his brother in court.

Both said the family connection will not matter when they do.

"I'll be a professional, and he'll be a professional," Richard said.

"Richard wouldn't pull any punches," Clifford said.

But each admitted the courtroom winner probably would take pride in beating the other sibling.

"Then we'll go have a drink and cuss at each other," Richard said.

Richard, 41, originally intended to go to law school. But working with the Stafford sheriff's office after college changed his mind.

An 18-year veteran of the force, Richard became an undercover narcotics officer three years ago. He wears a pony tail, jeans and sneakers on the job.

"I'm here to safeguard the rights of the citizens of Stafford, and he's here to safeguard the rights of the accused," Richard said.

"It's not up to us to prove that they didn't do it," said the more conservatively attired Clifford, at 33 the youngest of the four Rose children. "It's up to the commonwealth to prove that they did do it."

Before becoming a public defender, Clifford spent six years in private practice.

Being on opposite sides of the judicial process hasn't harmed the Stafford natives' relationship, they said.

"We're closer now than we have ever been," Richard said.

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