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Va. Judge Tosses Out Conviction Of Imprisoned D.C. Firefighter Amid Claims Of Police Officer Bias
APR 16, 3:40 PM
Virginia Judge Tosses Out Conviction Of Imprisoned D.C. Firefighter Amid Claims Of Police Officer Bias
Martin Austermuhle https://twitter.com/maustermuhle
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney joined with defense attorneys in seeking to overturn the conviction of former D.C. firefighter Elon Wilson, who is serving a three-year sentence in a state prison on drug and gun charges.
Martin Austermuhle / DCist/WAMU
A Virginia judge on Friday agreed to toss out the 2019 conviction of former D.C. firefighter Elon Wilson on drug and gun charges, agreeing with defense attorneys and Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano that racial bias may have been at play in the arresting officer’s initial stop and arrest.
Descano, a progressive prosecutor who took office last year, said the case was one of more than 400 stops by a former Fairfax County police officer his office has been investigating, and could lead to further moves to vacate judgements against defendants for everything from traffic offenses, to misdemeanors and felonies.
“Mr. Wilson was the victim of a culture in this criminal justice system that prioritized conviction over justice, that prioritized finality over justice, and that is the thing that I know myself and my staff have been working to change that culture since I took office,” Descano said outside the courthouse after the ruling.
The ruling by Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Ortiz could mean that Wilson might be freed from state prison in a matter of weeks, where he has been serving out a three-year sentence stemming from the 2018 arrest when he was found with a passenger in a car containing drugs and guns.
{snip}
Virginia Judge Tosses Out Conviction Of Imprisoned D.C. Firefighter Amid Claims Of Police Officer Bias
Martin Austermuhle https://twitter.com/maustermuhle
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney joined with defense attorneys in seeking to overturn the conviction of former D.C. firefighter Elon Wilson, who is serving a three-year sentence in a state prison on drug and gun charges.
Martin Austermuhle / DCist/WAMU
A Virginia judge on Friday agreed to toss out the 2019 conviction of former D.C. firefighter Elon Wilson on drug and gun charges, agreeing with defense attorneys and Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano that racial bias may have been at play in the arresting officer’s initial stop and arrest.
Descano, a progressive prosecutor who took office last year, said the case was one of more than 400 stops by a former Fairfax County police officer his office has been investigating, and could lead to further moves to vacate judgements against defendants for everything from traffic offenses, to misdemeanors and felonies.
“Mr. Wilson was the victim of a culture in this criminal justice system that prioritized conviction over justice, that prioritized finality over justice, and that is the thing that I know myself and my staff have been working to change that culture since I took office,” Descano said outside the courthouse after the ruling.
The ruling by Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Ortiz could mean that Wilson might be freed from state prison in a matter of weeks, where he has been serving out a three-year sentence stemming from the 2018 arrest when he was found with a passenger in a car containing drugs and guns.
{snip}