3:00PM
The Cavalier, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Council Members Present
Neil S. Vener (Campbell County)
Robert B. Beasley (Powhatan County)
Nancy G. Parr (Chesapeake)
David N. Grimes (Pittsylvania County)
Christian E. Rehak (Radford)
Harvey L. Bryant (Virginia Beach)
Joel R. Branscom (Botetourt County)
C, Linwood Gregory (New Kent County)
Donald S. Caldwell (Roanoke City)
Raymond F. Morrogh (Fairfax County)
Other Commonwealth’s Attorneys Present
Paul B. Ebert (Prince William County)
Richard E. Trodden (Arlington County/Falls Church)
Robert L. Bushnell (Henry County)
James R. Ennis (Prince Edward County)
Linda D. Curtis (Hampton)
Eileen M. Addison (York County/Poquoson)
Nathan R. Green (Williamsburg/James City County)
Matthew J. Britton (King George County)
Lisa K. Caruso (Dinwiddie County)
Patricia T. Watson (Greensville County/Emporia)
E. M. Wright (Buckingham County)
Roy F. Evans (Smyth County)
Glenn Williamson (Frederick County)
Edwin Leach ( Roanoke County)
Suzanne Perka (Clarke County)
William Bray (Colonial Heights)
Joan Ziglar (Martinsville)
CASC Staff Present
Robert Q. Harris
Lisa O. Hillman
Jane S. Chambers
Guests
Stephanie Merritt, Department Counsel, Department of Forensic Science
Pete Marone, Director, Department of Forensic Science
Call to Order
Mr. Vener called the meeting to order at 3:07 p.m.
Consideration of the Minutes
The draft minutes for the June 16, 2010 meeting previously were posted and circulated to Council. The minutes were approved as submitted.
Chairman’s Report
Mr. Vener welcomed Council and the Commonwealth’s Attorneys to Virginia Beach for the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Annual Summer Conference and deferred a Chairman’s report.
Administrator’s Report
Mr. Harris addressed the agenda items.
Annual Meeting Program
CASC will provide training on Friday and Saturday. Rod Leffler will provide ethics training on Friday. Richard Wintory has returned after a year’s absence and will provide Capital Litigation training and the Supreme Court Update.
Approximately 275 persons registered to attend the Annual Summer Conference.
Mr. Bryant stated that the VACA golf tournament and the hospitality room are sponsored by Bounceback, Corrective Solutions and SCRAM, a company that provides electronic home monitoring.
Trial Advocacy Program Status for 2011
Mr. Harris stated that the attendance for the Trial Advocacy program is down significantly, and possible reasons include the reduced number of new attorneys hired because of budget cuts and the difficulty in losing an attorney for a week while offices are short staffed. Mr. Harris asked Council to consider taking Trial Advocacy off the training calendar for 2011. Funding for Trial Advocacy comes from the Violence Against Children grant. Some members of faculty for Trial Advocacy have discussed an alternate program in place of Trial Advocacy using the same funding source. A motion was made to suspend Trial Advocacy for 2011 and to reevaluate the need for Trial Advocacy for the 2012 calendar. The motion passed unanimously.
Curriculum Committee meets Friday – Saturday, August 13 – 14, 2010
The Curriculum Committee will meet in Richmond on August 13 – 14, 2010. Anyone who has ideas for topics or speakers for the 2011 schedule is asked to contact Mr. Harris. Anyone who would like to volunteer to teach also should contact him.
John R. Justice Loan Forgiveness Program
CASC is working with DCJS on the details for this program. There is @ $200,000 to be split 50/50 between prosecutors and defense attorneys. Mr. Harris stated that 20 prosecutors will get @ $5,000 each using the current year’s funding. This year’s recipients will be eligible to apply again if the program is continued and funded. The application process will be announced in the fall and CASC will provide all information as it becomes available. Mr. Chichester stated that NDAA supports this program. Mr. Chichester asked everyone to contact their congressman to support this program.
Upcoming CASC Training
Mr. Harris stated that registration is still open for Advanced DUI in Blacksburg and DUI-D in Newport News. Trauma to Trial will be held in Staunton in October and registration is closed. Preparations for the Investigation & Prosecution of Insurance Fraud are being made for a November 2010 program. Mr. Bushnell stated that this program will provide training for 17 teams around Virginia. Funding comes from the insurance industry through the Virginia State Police Insurance Fraud Fund.
Adjournment
There being no further business before Council, the meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting of Council is Sunday, August 8, 2010, at 8:00 a.m., at the Cavalier in Virginia Beach.