Practice Areas
- Injuries and Accidents
- Medical Malpractice
- Criminal Law
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Family Law, Wills & Estates
- Corporate, Tax & Real Estate
- Traffic
Blog 
Criminal Law
- VA Drug Counselors May Help Those Freed Under Fair Sentencing Act
- Cheers and Fears Abound as Virginia Inmates Go Free
- Virginia Drug Charges Put Your Life on Hold: Who Can Help?
- “Spice” May Soon be Illegal in Virginia, Nationwide
- Will the drug "Spice" be made illegal in Norfolk, Virginia?
Legal News
- Does Virginia Law Require Ignition Locks for First Time DUI Offenders?...
Posted on 2/20/2012 - Multiple Drug Charges Pending for Norfolk Drug Ring Members...
Posted on 1/27/2012 - Man Arrested on Virginia Beach Drug Charges...
Posted on 12/13/2011 - Norfolk Police Officer Arrested on Drug Charges in Norfolk...
Posted on 12/12/2011 - Is the Virginia Criminal Defense System in Trouble?...
Posted on 11/18/2011 - ICP Juggalos in Virginia- They May Be "Insane" But Are They a Gang?...
Posted on 11/17/2011 - Police Probe Leads to Multiple Drug Arrests in Bedford County...
Posted on 11/6/2011 - Many Convicted of Crimes Involving Crack Cocaine Released in Virginia...
Posted on 11/4/2011 - 10 Large Scale Drug Rings Broken up in Hampton Roads...
Posted on 10/29/2011 - North Carolina Man Breaks Cycle of Prison and Drugs...
Posted on 10/28/2011
Firm Library
Criminal Law
- The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 and Its Affect on the Convicted in Virginia
- An Overview of Crack Cocaine and Current Virginia Sentencing Guidelines
- Virginia Tech Study Examines How Some Addicts Sustain Recovery
- “Bath Salts”- The Newest Synthetic Drug in Virginia
- Virginia Highway Safety Laws- A Basic Guide for Drivers and Motorcyclists
Current News- Virginia and North Carolina
State Senator seeking restitution for man wrongfully imprisoned for 22 years
Posted on Jul 24, 2009
A man wrongfully imprisoned on two charges of rape for almost 22 years has not received any financial assistance from the government, something that Virginia State Senator Kenneth Stolle wants to change.
The Norfolk man, Arthur Whitfield, 54, was charged with committing two rapes in 1981 and was released in 2004 only after DNA evidence proved that he was not guilty. Unfortunately for Whitfield, the way his case was handled once his innocence was proved left him without the customary state restitution.
People wrongfully incarcerated usually receive immediate transition assistance from Virginia to help them get back on their feet once they are found to be innocent. Whitfield’s lawyer maintains that Whitfield was eligible for $15,000 in assistance.
Whitfield was denied the assistance because of some unusual happenings in his case. He was released on parole immediately upon learning that DNA evidence had exonerated him, which circumvented the normal process for freeing wrongfully convicted prisoners.
That, combined with a complaint from one of the rape victims, delayed the governor’s pardon until April of this year. The Virginia Supreme Court decided that Whitfield was ineligible for transition assistance because of the circumstances surrounding his case.
Stolle is seeking $445,703 for Whitfield. If Stolle’s bill passed, Whitfield would receive $89,000 immediately with the rest over the next 25 years. Whitfield would also be eligible for $10,000 in tuition assistance for any Virginia community college.
Read More About State Senator seeking restitution for man wrongfully imprisoned for 22 years...
Se Habla Español
Quick Contact
Tavss Fletcher
RBC Centura
555 East Main Street
14th Floor
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: 757.625.1214
Fax: 757.622.7295
Get Directions
