Tag: courts
Legal battles continue over the Zaaki eyesore
The tenants of the derelict building in Bailey’s Crossroads that formerly housed the Zaaki Restaurant have refused to fix up or vacate the property for years, despite court orders to do so. An eviction hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2 at the Fairfax County General District Court. The defendants, listed in court records as Khalid … Continued
Grand jury indicts man for aggravated murder for the death of his daughter
A grand jury has indicted Misael Lopez Gomez, 28, on July 20 for aggravated murder and felony child abuse for the death of his 3-month-old daughter. A trial date will be set on July 23. Police responded to their home in the 3400 block of Lake Street in Bailey’s Crossroads on the evening of March … Continued
Jimenez reckless driving case postponed
The reckless driving charge against Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez has been continued to Sept. 21. Jimenez was charged with driving 104 mph in a 70 mph zone, which is considered reckless driving under state law. According to the Virginia State Police, he was driving a 2025 Porsche on the Route 66 express lanes shortly before … Continued
Annandale drug dealer heading to prison
A federal judge on July 16 sentenced Tyrice Stanton, 37, of Annandale, to five years and four months in prison for possession with intent to distribute N-isopropyl butylone (boot) and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, law enforcement searched Stanton’s residence on May 2, 2024, pursuant to a … Continued
Jimenez charged with driving 104 mph in Fairfax
The Fairfax County Traffic Court has provided more details on the reckless driving charge for Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez. Jimenez was clocked speeding 104 miles per hour on Route 50 by a Virginia State trooper on May 5, according to court records. A deputy clerk at the courthouse said he was stopped on Fair Lakes … Continued
Lawsuit challenges $1.8 million fine against an immigrant
The Legal Aid Justice Center filed a lawsuit on July 8 on behalf of an Alexandria resident facing more than $1.8 million in immigration fines imposed by the federal government. LAJC calls the fine “one of the latest examples of the administration’s escalating effort to use extreme financial penalties as a weapon against immigrant communities.” … Continued
Judge blocks assault firearm ban
Hundreds of new laws enacted by the Virginia General Assembly this year took effect on July 1. However, two of those laws – banning assault weapons and prohibiting law enforcement agents from wearing masks – have been temporarily blocked by the courts. The measure signed by Gov. Abigail Spanburger prohibiting the purchase and sale of … Continued
Supreme Court rejects appeal on redistricting
The U.S. Supreme Court on May 15 rejected an emergency request by Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones to overturn a ruling by the state Supreme Court that invalidated a vote on redistricting. The one-sentence decision by the justices does not give a reason and does not provide a vote count. In April, Virginians passed a … Continued
Virginia redistricting ruling challenged in the Supreme Court
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and other Democratic leaders filed an emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court on May 11, asking the justices to let the state proceed with the congressional redistricting map approved by voters. On May 8, a 4-3 ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court found that the constitutional amendment put forth … Continued
State Supreme Court strikes down redistricting amendment
In a major victory for Republicans, the Virginia Supreme Court on May 8 struck down a constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting narrowly passed by voters on April 21. The measure would have allowed the Democrats to flip four seats in the House of Representatives – with the ultimate goal of giving Democrats control over the … Continued
Federal court revisits officer-involved shooting case
A federal appeals court has ruled that Fairfax County police Sgt. Joshua Moser, who shot and wounded a suspected drug dealer in Seven Corners three years ago, might have violated the suspect’s constitutional rights. Judge Nicole Berner of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on April 13 vacated a ruling in favor … Continued
Brendan Banfield convicted of aggravated murder
In a case that drew national attention, Brendan Banfield was convicted of aggravated murder on Feb. 2 for killing his wife, Christine Banfield, 37, and Joseph Ryan, 39, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced on Feb. 2. The crime occurred at the Banfield’s home in Reston on Feb. 24, 2023. The jury convicted Banfield, a law … Continued
Man convicted of 2021 ATM murder
Winston Nathaniel Lark IV, 20, was convicted by a jury of first-degree felony murder for killing Nelson Alexander, 73, during an ATM robbery, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced Jan. 22. Lark was also convicted of using a firearm in committing a murder. In the early morning of Oct. 20, 2021, Alexander, of Falls Church, went … Continued
Annandale man gets 10 years for drug crimes
A federal court sentenced an Annandale man to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the FBI reported Dec. 11. According to court documents, David Monroy, 28, was convicted in 2017 on three counts of possession with intent to … Continued
Supervisors object to Trump’s attack on the rule of law
Eight members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors issued a statement on Sept. 22 objecting to President Trump’s actions against U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert. “President Trump’s reported pressuring of Interim U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert to resign because he failed to find evidence against the president’s political enemies is an attack on the rule of … Continued