THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 5, 1995 TAG: 9508040014
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 32 lines
The July 28 edition of your paper carried a suggestion that counsel and the owners for Mr. Magic, a local night spot, failed to appear for a court date. Indeed, counsel and the owners did not appear because the case had been continued pursuant to a three-way conversation between a Circuit Court judge, the prosecutor and counsel.
The procedure for continuing cases in the Circuit Court for the city of Virginia Beach necessitates a communication with the court prior to the trial date. That procedure was followed.
The office of the commonwealth's attorney and counsel scheduled the trial date in the regular course of docketing. Subsequent to the scheduling of the case for trial, the commonwealth's attorney determined that a jury should hear the case. On July 17, the commonwealth's attorney was advised that scheduling conflicts would preclude a jury trial from commencing on July 26.
A new date, consistent with everyone's schedule, to accommodate a two- or possibly three-day jury trial will be scheduled in the immediate future. An expedited hearing on the ABC appeal is being arranged at the request of the ABC Board.
WILLIAM P. ROBINSON JR.
Norfolk, July 28, 1995 by CNB