Daughter of chief justice convicted of shoplifting
By News in Brief
Published: June 29, 2009
A retired judge has convicted the daughter of Virginia Chief Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr. of shoplifting and imposed a suspended jail term of 30 days.
Joanna L. Hassell, 18 and a student at the University of Virginia, was stopped after she left Macy’s at Regency Square mall in Henrico County on April 11 without paying for several items of clothing. The clothes were valued at $71.97.
Her attorney asked General District Judge Stephen H. Helvin to delay sentencing after he found that she had taken the clothing, but Henrico Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Huberman objected and Helvin rejected the defense attorney’s request.
The authority of judges to defer sentencing and then dismiss a charge after a period of what amounts to probation remains open after the Supreme Court decided last year that two cases that raised the issue were not properly before it.
Hassell had performed more than 100 hours community service since her arrest.
Helvin was named to hear the case after Henrico judges recused themselves.
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