1:00PM
Norfolk, VA
Council Members Present
Officers:
Bryan L. Porter (Alexandria), Chairman
R. Bryan Haskins (Pittsylvania County), First Vice Chairman
David L. Ledbetter (Waynesboro), Second Vice Chairman
Tracy Q. Martin (Halifax County), Secretary
Anton A. Bell (Hampton), Past Chairman
Council District Representatives:
1. Krystyn L. Reid (York County)
2. Matthew R. Hamel (Chesapeake)
3. Anton A. Bell (Hampton)
4. Colette Wallace McEachin (Richmond City)
5. Bethany A. S. Harrison (Lynchburg)
6. David L. Ledbetter (Waynesboro)
7. G. Ryan Mehaffey (Spotsylvania County)
8. Bryan L. Porter (Alexandria)
9. Robert M. Lilly (Giles County)
10. Robert D. Anderson (Loudoun County)
11. Steve Descano (Fairfax County)
Other Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Present
Meredith D. Adkins (King & Queen County)
Rhonda Alexander (Lunenburg County)
Amy K. Ashworth (Prince William County)
Clarissa T. Berry (Madison County)
Dayna Kendrick Bobbitt (Patrick County)
Tiffany Buckner (Petersburg City)
Donald S. Caldwell (Roanoke City)
Lyle Carver (Amherst County)
Megan L. Clark (Prince Edward County)
Grey Collins (Colonial Heights)
Derek A. Davis (Surry County)
Ramin Fatehi (Norfolk City)
Susan Fiero (Prince George County)
Les Fleet (Appomattox County)
Melissa Freudenberg (Newport News)
Justin L. Griffith (Pulaski County)
Keri Gusman (King George County)
Jeff Haislip (Fluvanna County)
Scott C. Hook (Fauquier County)
Heather D. Hovermale (Winchester)
Elizabeth Humphries (Fredericksburg City)
Ryan Mehaffey (Spotsylvania County)
Spencer Morgan (Accomack County)
Andrew Nester (Henry County)
Phillip Nichols, Jr. (Greensville/Emporia)
Eric L. Olsen (Stafford County)
Georgette C. Phillips (Isle of Wight)
Joseph Platania (City of Charlottesville)
Narendra Pleas (City of Suffolk)
Russell Rabb (Culpeper County)
Christian E. Rehak (Radford)
Leslie Schneider (Charlotte County)
Colin D. Stolle (Virginia Beach)
Shannon Taylor (Henrico County)
Marie Walls (Matthews County)
Leanne Watrous (Nottoway County)
Jane Wrightson (Northumberland County)
Guests
Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorneys Present
Tabitha Anderson (City of Virginia Beach)
DJ Hansen (City of Chesapeake)
Jessica Henson (Henry County)
Elizabeth Blair Trent (Prince Edward County)
CASC Staff Present
Elliott Casey, Director, CASC
VACA Staff Present
Amanda Howie, Administrator
Other Guests
Kylisha Boyd, Victim Advocate Senior, Office of the Virginia Attorney General
Call to Order
Mr. Porter called the meeting to order at 1:07 p.m.
Minutes
The draft minutes from the February 13, 2025, meeting were previously posted and circulated to Council. A motion was made and seconded and by voice vote, the minutes were approved as submitted.
Chairman’s Report
Mr. Porter commended CASC staff on the launch of the 2025 CASC Spring Institute.
Administrator’s Report
Mr. Casey reviewed the agenda items:
Old Business
CATF Update
Mr. Casey reviewed the CATF balance sheet reflecting account activity through February 28, 2025.
Spring Institute Update
Mr. Casey reviewed the CASC reimbursement policy, including the recent changes that reduced the reimbursement rate for mileage. Mr. Casey reviewed the reasons for the change, CASC’s efforts to avoid making the change, and the effect of the change on the projected FY2025 budget.
New Members for CASC Standing Committee on Prosecutorial Ethics.
Mr. Casey detailed the need for two members for the CASC Standing Committee on Prosecutorial Ethics. Ms. Leanne Watrous, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Nottoway County, and Ms. T. Marie Walls, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Matthews County, volunteered for to serve. A motion was made and seconded for each to join the committee and by voice vote, the nominations were approved.
New Business
Witness Protection Program Board Member
Mr. Casey reviewed that Virginia State Police has asked Council to provide a member to join the board administering the new Witness Protection Program funds that are to be disseminated by the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Criminal Intelligence Section, under 19VAC30-180-10.
Mr. David Ledbetter volunteered to serve as the representative of Council. A motion was made and seconded and by voice vote, the nomination was approved.
CASC Faculty Awards Committee Member
Mr. Casey reviewed that a vacancy exists on the CASC Faculty Awards Committee. Ms. Krystyn L. Reid, Commonwealth’s Attorney for York County, volunteered to serve on the committee. A motion was made and seconded and by voice vote, the nomination was approved.
Mr. Casey shared that this year there were two nominations for the CASC Faculty Award, Mr. Michael Milnor (Ret.) and Ms. Tabitha Anderson, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach. In view of the two nominations, Council chose to vote on the two nominations. A motion was made and seconded and by voice vote, the two nominations were approved and the faculty award winners for 2025 will be Mr. Michael Milnor (Ret.) and Ms. Tabitha Anderson, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach.
New CASC Training Programs
Mr. Casey shared that CASC had recently launched several new training programs. First, CASC has launched a training for paralegals in Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Offices, called the ParaLEAGLE program. Paralegals and assistant prosecutors from Hanover County as well as a paralegal from Hampton have participated so far. CASC is also launching a series of webinars for prosecutors in April.
CASC History
Mr. Caldwell detailed the history of the Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Services Council that he and Betty Jo Anthony recently completed. Mr. Caldwell and Ms. Anthony spent months collecting records, reviewing documents, and traveling around the Commonwealth to collect CASC’s history back to 1976. Mr. Caldwell disseminated the written history to Virginia prosecutors early this month.
Public Comment
The floor was opened for public comment. There was no public comment.
Adjournment
There being no further business before Council, the meeting adjourned at 1:41 p.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting is Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 12:00 p.m., at the CASC offices at Truist Place, 919 E. Main Street, Suite 1250, Richmond.