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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 10, 1994                   TAG: 9408100085
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

IN VIRGINIA

RICHMOND - The vandals who scorched the word ``JEW'' on a Prince William County family's lawn could be the first people prosecuted under a new law cracking down on hate crimes, the law's sponsor said Tuesday.

Del. Kenneth Plum, D-Reston, said Saturday's incident at the Jeffrey Wynn home is the type of bias-motivated crime targeted by the bill he pushed through the 1994 General Assembly.

Gov. George Allen signed the bill, which took effect July 1. It provides a mandatory six-month jail term for any misdemeanor vandalism or assault committed because of the victim's race, religion or national origin.

No arrests have been made.

- Associated Press

\ Cheating suit cost UVa $40,000

CHARLOTTESVILLE - The University of Virginia paid $40,000 in legal fees to a law firm that assisted a former student in overturning an honor-court conviction for cheating, say three former members of the university's honor committee.

Christopher Leggett was cleared in the retrial two weeks ago. He had been found guilty in 1992 of cheating on a computer science test.

In an open letter to the university community, former UVa students Roger Mason, Kimberly Manno and Tasos Galiotos said UVa spent ``tuition dollars by paying approximately $40,000 in legal fees for Leggett.''

- Associated Press