THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, September 21, 1996          TAG: 9609210241
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY MARC DAVIS, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   42 lines

CAUCUS ASKS ALLEN TO KEEP A BLACK IN JUDGE'S SEAT

The state's 13 black legislators on Friday asked Gov. George F. Allen to appoint a black candidate to replace Judge Luther C. Edmonds, who is also black, on Norfolk Circuit Court.

Edmonds resigned last week while under investigation by the state judicial commission.

Normally, the General Assembly appoints judges. When a circuit judge resigns between sessions, the governor can name an interim replacement. The Assembly then names a permanent replacement.

The legislature's Black Caucus has asked Allen not to make the temporary appointment but to let the Assembly name the replacement in January or February. Allen has refused. Allen is Republican; Democrats control the caucus.

On Friday the caucus' chairman, Del. Jerrauld C. Jones, a Norfolk lawyer, urged the governor to appoint a black to replace Edmonds.

``As you know,'' Jones wrote on behalf of the caucus, ``Judge Edmonds is an African-American who was only the second person of color to be appointed to the Circuit Court in the City of Norfolk. . . We believe that confidence in the judicial system is increased when all persons believe that they are fairly represented within it at every level.''

There are now seven white judges and one black judge in Norfolk Circuit Court.

Jones said the caucus would not endorse a particular candidate. Last year several black candidates applied for judgeships in Norfolk, including Edmonds, General District Judge Gwendolyn Jackson, Junius Fulton, Joseph Lindsey and Lyn Simmons, who is Jones' wife.

Allen has said he will name Edmonds' replacement in about a month. The Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association plans to endorse candidates before then. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Judge Luther C. Edmonds resigned last week while under investigation

by the state judicial commission. Edmonds was on the Norfolk Circuit

Court. by CNB