VIRGINIA BRIEFING

Friday, July 4, 2008

1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Democratic Challenger Drops Out of Race

Democrat Keith Hummel is abandoning his challenge of U.S. Rep. Rob Whittman (R) in Virginia's 1st Congressional District, which includes part of Prince William County.

On Thursday, Hummel announced that he was suspending his campaign, citing past financial difficulties and lamenting "the politics of personal attack and destruction."

Hummel entered politics in February to run against Whittman, a former state legislator who won a special election in December 2007 and who is seeking reelection in November.

-- Anita Kumar

FEDERAL COURT

Arlington Man Indicted in Child Porn Case

An Arlington County man has been indicted on charges that he distributed child pornography and possessed hundreds of images and videos containing child pornography on his computer.

Shawn M. Mahoney, 36, faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted of distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography. He was indicted Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

-- Jerry Markon

PRINCE WILLIAM COURTS

Driver Acquitted in Death of Arlington Deputy

The driver charged in a crash that killed Arlington County's chief deputy sheriff last year has been acquitted of involuntary manslaughter and reckless driving, officials said yesterday.

A Prince William County jury deliberated less than an hour Tuesday before finding Scott R. Edgell, 47, not guilty in the crash that killed Dennis W. Webb, 53, on Nov. 10.

Police said Edgell lost control of his Jeep on Sudley Road and sideswiped a sport-utility vehicle. He returned to the road, lost control again and struck Webb's car as Webb turned into a parking lot, police said.

Webb, who had a long law enforcement career in Prince William before taking the job in Arlington, died at the scene. No one else was injured, authorities said.

Defense attorney Tracey A. Lenox said that Edgell is epileptic and that he had a seizure. She said his doctor had cleared him to drive. "There was no criminal liability," Lenox said.

Prince William Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Ronald Reel said Edgell should not have been driving.

-- Daniela Deane

FAIRFAX COURTS

Defendant Convicted of Menacing Police Officer

A man who was shot by Fairfax County police last year after pointing a gun at an officer was convicted Wednesday of attempted capital murder of a police officer, and the jury recommended yesterday that he serve 51 years in prison.

Police said officers encountered Rocky L. King, 27, in the parking lot of the Dulles Technology Center near Herndon on Sept. 11. When Officer Eugene Bork approached the car, King allegedly pointed a handgun at him. Other officers opened fire on King, wounding him.

The Circuit Court jury convicted King of cocaine possession and two gun charges, in addition to attempted capital murder. The jury said King should serve 40 years for the attempted murder charge, three years for the cocaine charge and eight years for the gun charges. The judge can reduce the sentence but not increase it.

-- Tom Jackman