4BETTER OR WORSE- The week in review
Least willing to say they're sorry: The UVA 17 protesters, punished by the school for their four-day Madison Hall sit-in, appeal the University Judiciary Committee penalty that they write letters of apology and thanks to police and school administrators, saying that would cause them to violate the school's honor code by forcing them to lie, according to John Yellig in the Daily Progress. [Sounds similar to the Western Albemarle students who refused to sign a post-Prom pledge that they didn't drink. See news story–editor.]
Worst setback for Earl Washington: The man who was nearly executed for a murder he did not commit and who won a $2.25 million jury award last month will be back in court. The estate of Curtis Reese Wilmore, the Virginia State Police investigator accused of fabricating evidence against Washington, is asking for a new trial, claiming U.S. District Court Judge Norman K. Moon erred when he refused to let the defense strike a juror, the Times-Dispatch reports.
Best Virginia Bar Association recommendation: Local lawyer and former mayor Tom Albro, who counts John Grisham among his clients, is one of 17 candidates for a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals spot, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.
Worst T-D news: The paper fires reporter Paul Bradley for fabricating and plagiarism.
Longest investigation: Former PVCC student and Charlottesvillian Stanislas Meyerhoff, 28, now is custody in Oregon, stands accused with three other environmental extremists of the 1998 fire-bombing of the mammoth Two Elk mountain-top restaurant and several other lodges and lifts at Vail resort in Colorado, according to a federal indictment that also blames the group for acts of sabotage in Oregon, California, and Wyoming.
Lowest-ranked state in compensation for court-appointed lawyers: Virginia takes the number 50 spot with its meager $1,186 pay to defend murder cases, Liesel Nowak reports in the Progress.
Best NCAA lacrosse team: UVA men take the national title May 29 in Philadelphia, tripping the University of Massachusetts Minutemen 15-7.
Most likely to be evicted: Low-income, assisted-care Aloha House residents have to vacate the property in 10 days, Judge Robert Downer rules May 26. Facility manager Banana Anderson is ordered to pay more than $84,000 in back rent, interest, late fees and court costs, according to a Sarah Barry story in the DP.
Best Memorial Day story: Missing vet and Lake Monticello resident William Crodick, 77, is found disoriented in his car in Newport News after being gone for 24 hours, NBC29 reports.
Biggest bang: Rock icon Eric Clapton adds the John Paul Jones Arena to his U.S. tour, playing Charlottesville October 12, about a year after the Rolling Stones hit town.
Best place to buy upscale taxidermy: Caspari. The Wall Street Journal reports that Parisian taxidermist Deyrolle has brought stuffed animals here, and the Hook confirms that the upscale Downtown Mall stationer is offering a few roosters for $1,800 each.
Latest Pat Robertson exploit: The 76-year-old 700 Club host claims he can leg-press 2,000 pounds, topping the 665-pound record held by Florida State football players. Some of little faith say such a feat is impossible.
Worst psycho-parent report: A St. Louis doctor throws four-year-old and eight-year-old sons to their death over the balcony of a Miami hotel May 27. Edward Van Dyk then jumps 15 floors to his own death.
Most exciting Brangelina news: The couple announce the May 29 birth of Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt in Namibia. (It's a girl.)
Biggest end of an era: UVA alum Katie Couric signs off NBC's Today show May 31 after 15 years and readies for act two as CBS Evening News anchor in September.
#