Friday, August 15, 2003

Judge Flannagan accepts controversial plea deal in child pornography case

The Bristol paper has this report on the acceptance by Circuit Court Judge Charles B. Flannagan II of the plea agreement in a Washington County child pornography case.

What makes the case interesting if not bizarre is that the No. 2 man in the Attorney General's office has publicly declared that the punishment under the plea deal is inadequate and the case should have been handled by federal prosecutors.

The incumbent Commonwealth's Attorney in Washington County was elected as a Democrat but is not seeking re-election. The AG's man, Joseph Carrico, was previously elected Commonwealth's Attorney in Wise County as a Republican. I would have thought, however, that the Commonwealth's attorneys and the Attorney General's office were supposed to be mostly on the same team, at least in public.

No comments: