Virginia's top court reinstates prosecutor removed by judge
Source: Associated Press
Virginia’s top court reinstates prosecutor removed by judge
By MATTHEW BARAKAT
December 8, 2022
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — The Virginia Supreme Court reinstated a progressive prosecutor on a criminal burglary case Thursday after a judge removed her when he was dissatisfied with a plea deal her office reached.
The ruling faulted Circuit Court Judge James Plowman for removing Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj without giving her adequate opportunity to defend her actions.
“Judge Plowman disqualified Biberaj’s office without affording her or her subordinates adequate notice or opportunity to be heard,” the court wrote.
The case is indicative of tensions that have arisen in northern Virginia courthouses after Biberaj and other reform-minded prosecutors won office in 2019, in part with huge financial assistance from a political action committee funded by liberal donor George Soros. Conservative activists have launched efforts to have Biberaj and other prosecutors in the region removed from office.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/virginia-state-government-and-politics-e2a2569230ed116c8c4d792cc14dbb27
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