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Huguely Attorneys Say Right to Counsel Violated

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Attorneys for former UVA lacrosse player George Huguely argued for a new trial before the Virginia Court of Appeals.

They are not discussing plans to possibly take his case to a higher court if a three-judge panel in Richmond fails to grant their client's request … following his conviction for the murder of former girlfriend Yeardley Love. 

Huguely attorney Paul Clement says his team is not overly confident, but the fact that the judges were asking probing questions is promising.

Clement argued that jurors--two in particular--in Huguely's trial expressed early on that their views had swayed against Huguely, but they were still allowed to stay on as jurors.  However, Clement spent most of his time arguing that the presiding trial judge allowed the case to proceed after one of Huguely's two lawyers fell ill.  He said that violated Huguely’s right to legal counsel.

But Senior Assistant Attorney General Leah Darron, who argued on behalf of the state, contended that Huguely was not insistent enough at a time when the judge could have ruled on it that day. She also said his other lawyer agreed to continue without her, and the defendant’s rights were not violated.  At least two judges noted that although he may not have been adamant, Huguely did express concern that his other lawyer was not present.
 

Tommie McNeil is a State Capitol reporter who has been covering Virginia and Virginia politics for more than a decade. He originally hails from Maryland, and also doubles as the evening anchor for 1140 WRVA in Richmond.