Virginia Senators Continues to Reappoint Corrupt Judges

 Va. Senators Reappoints Corrupt Judge Despite Hard Evidence of Bribery and Political Gain

     Virginia's Judicial system is rotten with corruption, judges ignore their sworn oath to honor the Virginia Judicial Canons and violate the Rules of the Virginia Code of Professional Conduct. Virginia Senators are responsible for the appointment of Judges in Virginia for a six year term.

     In December 2021, the Virginia General Assembly received hundreds of pages of evidence exposing a criminal syndicate, headed by Judge Lee A. Harris Jr., operating in the Henrico County Circuit Court for over 24 years.

       Live testimony in a video provided to the Judicial sub-committee by a witness, who Judge Harris had protected in a 600-kilo cocaine organization, gave additional evidence of Henrico County Court documents being tampered by Judge Harris, Henrico Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor and Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Michael Feinmel, The evidence showed that the three conspired to destroy hundreds of pages of exhibits of evidence to protect an international fugitive from being extradited to Henrico County and be prosecuted for thirteen indictments for distribution of cocaine.

      Judge Lee A. Harris Jr. obstructed justice in the 600-kilo cocaine case by issuing orders denying the transport of the 600-kilo cocaine fugitive from Greece to Henrico County as to stand trial for the thirteen indictments. Despite the Fugitive asking to be voluntarily extradited to Henrico County, Judge Harris refused to issue an order to provide transportation and escorted by U.S. Marshals.

       The Virginia Senate recognizing the evidence of corruption which included bribery, obstruction of justice, destroying evidence, and making false statements to the Court, the 2022 Virginia Senators voted unanimously to reappoint Judge Lee A. Harris to a six year term so that he would reach retirement status.

 https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+vot+SV0093SR0009+SR0009

       It is evident that the only issue that Republicans and Democrats can unanimously agree on is to continue to keep the Virginia Justice system corrupt.

The Senators who voted 40-0 to reappoint Judge Lee Harris were:

                              DISTRICT      PARTY 

George L. Barker	39	Democrat
John J. Bell	13	Democrat
Jennifer B. Boysko	33	Democrat
Amanda F. Chase	11	Republican
John A. Cosgrove, Jr.	14	Republican
R. Creigh Deeds	25	Democrat
Bill DeSteph	8	Republican
Siobhan S. Dunnavant	12	Republican
Adam P. Ebbin	30	Democrat
John S. Edwards	21	Democrat
Barbara A. Favola	31	Democrat
T. Travis Hackworth	38	Republican
Emmett W. Hanger, Jr.	24	Republican
Ghazala F. Hashmi	10	Democrat
Janet D. Howell	32	Democrat
Jen A. Kiggans	7	Republican
Lynwood W. Lewis, Jr.	6	Democrat
Mamie E. Locke	2	Democrat
L. Louise Lucas	18	Democrat
David W. Marsden	37	Democrat
T. Montgomery "Monty" Mason	1	Democrat
Jennifer L. McClellan	9	Democrat
Ryan T. McDougle	4	Republican
Jeremy S. McPike	29	Democrat
Joseph D. Morrissey	16	Democrat
Stephen D. Newman	23	Republican
Thomas K. Norment, Jr.	3	Republican
Mark D. Obenshain	26	Republican
Mark J. Peake	22	Republican
J. Chapman Petersen	34	Democrat
Todd E. Pillion	40	Republican
Bryce E. Reeves	17	Republican
Frank M. Ruff, Jr.	15	Republican
Richard L. Saslaw	35	Democrat
Lionell Spruill, Sr.	5	Democrat
William M. Stanley, Jr.	20	Republican
Richard H. Stuart	28	Republican
David R. Suetterlein	19	Republican
Scott A. Surovell	36	Democrat
Jill Holtzman Vogel	27	Republican

Three Richmond Lawyers Entangled in Fraud on The Court

 Prominent Richmond Lawyers face Serious Bribery Charges and Fraud on the Courts

Ethics Complaints filed in the Circuit Court and Sanctions filed in the Court of Appeals of Virginia (CAV) have placed 3 prominent Richmond lawyers facing criminal and civil action and are likely to have their license to practice law in Virginia revoked.

Robert L. Freed, who is facing ethics complaints, Case No. 0706-22-2, Spanos v. Robert L. Freed, et al., in the CAV for conspiring with his clients to commit fraud of $100,000., Fraud on the Court, misconduct, and numerous violations of the Rules of the Virginia Code of Professional Conduct (VCPC), now faces class 4 felony charges for violating Va. Code § 18.2-447. When a person guilty of bribery.

In a October 31, 2022, email to several persons and his legal assistant, Freed admitted to influencing the judges of the CAV to dismiss the complaint against him even before a hearing date for oral arguments has been set and the CAV deciding the case. A November 8, 2022, Motion for Sanctions was filed in the CAV for Freed's confession of bribing/influencing a judicial preceding. The sanctions are requesting that the CAV report the bribery/influence charge to the Richmond City Commonwealth Attorney for investigation. Click to view Motion for Sanctions November 8, 2022 

Julie S. Palmer and Michael E. Harman of Harman, Claytor,  Corrigan, & Wellman, represent Robert Freed and Emily Kokie in the ethics complaint. 

Julie Palmer was elected in 2022 as President of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys https://www.vada.org/directors

Julie Palmer was recently named as one of Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s 2022’s Influential Women in Law.                                        https://valawyersweekly.com/2022/04/04/vlw-names-2022s-influential-women-of-law/

Freed, Palmer and Harman are facing sanctions before the CAV for fraud on the court, making false statements to the court, and tortious interference. Palmer and Harman face separate charges of  bribery/influencing a judicial proceeding in pending cases in the Henrico County Circuit Court. 

The August 1, 2022, Motion for Sanctions against Freed, Palmer, and Harman allege that Palmer and Harman took a February 22, 2022, circuit court record transcript and had ex parte communications with Judge Wilford Taylor Jr., who was presiding over Henrico County Circuit Court Cases CL21006572, CL21005759, to influence Judge Taylor to reverse orders he had previously issued in the Plaintiff’s cases. Click to view CAV SANCTIONS Aug. 1, 2022

The Plaintiff filed a Motion to Recuse Judge Taylor with the Henrico Circuit Court on February 28, 2022, based on evidence provided to the Plaintiff about the ex parte communications between Palmer, Harman, and Judge Wilford Taylor. 

Michael Harman and Judge Wilford Taylor are connected through the McCammon Group, a dispute resolution company which employs Michael Harman and Judge Wilford Taylor as dispute mediators.        Click to view https://www.mccammongroup.com

Shortly thereafter, Judge Taylor recused himself from the Appellant’s cases in the Henrico County Circuit court. Judge Wilford Taylor had been designated by the Supreme Court of Virginia to preside over the Henrico Court cases, as all the Judges of the Henrico County Circuit Court had recused themselves. The SCV had to designate a new judge after Judge Taylors recusal.

Palmer and Harman's influence/bribery of a court member or official, is Fraud on the court and considered to be one of the most serious violations that can occur within a court of law. If fraud on the court occurs, the entire case is voided or cancelled. This means that any ruling or judgment that the court has issued will be rendered void. Additionally, the case will need to be retried, and with different court officials. This is often done in an entirely different venue in order to avoid further instances of fraud on the court.