On Dec. 12, a former correctional officer from West Virginia was sentenced to four years in prison. The man was charged with participating in a plot to bring methamphetamine into the South Central Regional Jail in Charleston and distribute it. The defendant was...
Year: 2019
Former county court clerk may reach plea in meth case
A former West Virginia court clerk accused of drug charges may wrap up the case against her with a plea bargain. On Dec. 10, the judge overseeing the case noted that a plea agreement may be close at hand for the woman accused of attempting to operate a meth...
Study examines racial disparities in criminal justice system
Many people in West Virginia have raised concerns about serious racial disparities in incarceration and sentencing that have significantly affected black communities across the country. According to one study by the Council on Criminal Justice, some types of racial...
West Virginia traffic stop leads to drug seizure
Two West Virginia residents and an Ohio man were taken into custody during the early morning hours of Nov. 22 after drugs and drug paraphernalia were allegedly discovered in the vehicle they were traveling in during a routine traffic stop. A 43-year-old Wheeling man...
Woman facing drug charges after allegedly consenting to search
A 33-year-old West Virginia woman was charged with six felony drug counts after allegedly giving police consent to search her home and phone on the afternoon of Nov. 15. During the searches, a West Virginia State Police trooper says that he discovered undisclosed but...
Two sentenced for shipping pot via U.S. Postal Service
On Nov. 18, two West Virginia men were sentenced for taking part in a drug ring that shipped hundreds of pounds of marijuana from California to Huntington via the U.S. Postal Service. The case was heard in federal court. According to media reports, one of the...
How unconscious bias may affect a judge’s decisions
Some judges in West Virginia may be guided in their decisions by unconscious bias, and this could hurt defendants. Unconscious bias occurs when one is prejudiced against a group even when this goes against their conscious feelings about the group. Since research...
Can you avoid a sobriety checkpoint?
Whether you are attending a University of West Virginia football game, going to a concert or catching up with old friends, you may want to have a few beers or a couple of cocktails. Still, you do not want your otherwise fun evening to turn into a legal nightmare. If...
There may be reason to doubt Breathalyzer results
Breathalyzer test results used in West Virginia may not be accurate. A report from the New York Times found that roughly 30,000 cases were thrown out in New Jersey and Massachusetts over a period of 12 months. Human error is one reason why Breathalyzer results may be...
Blood pattern analysis may not be as accurate as believed
State attorneys who prosecute individuals for violent crimes that occur in West Virginia often rely on testimony from expert witnesses experienced in blood pattern analysis. Blood spatter has been used since the late 19th-century and has played an important role in...