Some time back I did posts here and here about the sexual abuse verdicts (one was a plea deal) against a former assistant dean at Pat Robertson's Regent University Law School - Virginia governor elect, Bob McDonnell's alma mater - and his wife. The "godly couple" had been taking sexual liberties with minors in their foster care. At the time of my last post on the issue, the wife (pictured above) had copped a plea deal where she would only serve 40 days in jail. Readers were shocked at the lenient treatment given her given the disgusting nature of her crimes. It turns out that we were not the only one's disgusted by the prosecutor's plea arrangement. Now, Virginia Beach Circuit Judge A. Joseph Canada Jr.- who I know and have done legal work for - rejected the plea deal, calling it “a travesty of justice.” As a result, Melina McPherson will hopefully stand trial and get a sentence more in keeping with her depraved deeds. Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot:*
A judge today rejected a plea agreement that called for the wife of a former Regent University assistant dean to serve 40 days in jail in exchange for pleading guilty to a child molestation charge. Circuit Judge A. Joseph Canada Jr. described the plea agreement for Melina McPherson as “a travesty of justice.”
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He described the sentence for her husband, Stephen McPherson, who received a total of 19 years in prison, after being convicted in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, as adequate. The couple were house parents at Hope Haven Children’s Home in Virginia Beach during the late 1990s,
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Melina McPherson’s attorney, Franklin Swartz, asked the judge to reconsider. The judge refused. The judge also refused Commonwealth Attorney Harvey Bryant’s request that Melina McPherson’s victim, who had traveled from out of state, be permitted to read a statement to the court. . . . the judge said the plea agreement sent the wrong message to the public and gave the “appearance of impropriety.” He noted Bryant and Swartz once worked together, but said he did not think that influenced the plea deal. Melina McPherson was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom.
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The judge’s rejection of the plea agreement means the case could go to trial. A new judge would have to hear the case.
A judge today rejected a plea agreement that called for the wife of a former Regent University assistant dean to serve 40 days in jail in exchange for pleading guilty to a child molestation charge. Circuit Judge A. Joseph Canada Jr. described the plea agreement for Melina McPherson as “a travesty of justice.”
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He described the sentence for her husband, Stephen McPherson, who received a total of 19 years in prison, after being convicted in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, as adequate. The couple were house parents at Hope Haven Children’s Home in Virginia Beach during the late 1990s,
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Melina McPherson’s attorney, Franklin Swartz, asked the judge to reconsider. The judge refused. The judge also refused Commonwealth Attorney Harvey Bryant’s request that Melina McPherson’s victim, who had traveled from out of state, be permitted to read a statement to the court. . . . the judge said the plea agreement sent the wrong message to the public and gave the “appearance of impropriety.” He noted Bryant and Swartz once worked together, but said he did not think that influenced the plea deal. Melina McPherson was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom.
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The judge’s rejection of the plea agreement means the case could go to trial. A new judge would have to hear the case.
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It is noteworthy that weak sister prosecutor, Harvey Bryant, was one of Bob McDonnell's cheerleaders during the recent election campaign. McDonnell's campaign story was that he'd be hard on crime - unless, perhaps, the criminals are former Regent University personnel.
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