Local
Wone civil trial postponed
Judge cites juror vacations, moves case to summer 2011
A judge presiding over the upcoming civil trial against three gay men implicated in the 2006 murder of D.C. attorney Robert Wone changed the trial date from June 13 to Sept. 12, 2011.
In an order handed down Sept. 10, D.C. Superior Court Judge Brook Hedge said starting what is expected to be a lengthy trial in June would “present possible issues with juror selection in light of possible preplanned vacations.”
She noted in her order that attorneys on both sides of the case agreed to the change, acknowledging it would be difficult to line up jurors in the summer for a trial expected to last several months.
The three defendants in the case — Joseph Price, Victor Zaborsky and Dylan Ward — were found not guilty in a criminal trial in June. They had been charged with obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice and evidence tampering in connection with Wone’s murder. No one has been charged with the murder.
Wone’s wife and family members filed a $20 million wrongful death suit against the three men shortly after prosecutors indicted them on the criminal charges. A judge later ordered the civil case to be put on hold until after the completion of the criminal trial.
Since the time of their acquittal in the criminal trial on June 29, the defendants’ lawyers have been contesting a request by lawyers for Mrs. Wone to have certain evidence from the criminal trial released for use in the civil case. Among the evidence sought by Mrs. Wone’s attorneys are e-mail and phone records from the defendants.
Wone was found stabbed to death in a guest bedroom in the house where the three men lived on Swann Street, N.W., near Dupont Circle. They said they believed an intruder killed Wone after entering the house from a rear door while they were asleep in their respective bedrooms.
Police and prosecutors presented evidence disputing the “intruder” theory in the case and charged that the three men knew the identity of the killer and conspired to prevent police from solving the case.
Judge Lynn Leibovitz, who presided over the criminal case, stated in a written decision that prosecutors did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Price, Zaborsky and Ward committed the offenses with which they were charged. In a development that startled some legal observers, Leibovitz said in her decision that the government did prove beyond a reasonable doubt that an intruder didn’t commit the murder.
Some legal observers have said her carefully crafted decision could be helpful to the Wone family in the civil case, where the threshold for finding guilt is not as stringent as it is in a criminal case.
Leibovitz rendered the verdict after the defendants waived their right to a jury trial and requested that Leibovitz decide on their guilt or innocence.
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Congratulations to Jaime Christopher Pierce on their appointment to serve as a member of the Virginia Governor’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Board. Pierce was sworn in on Sept. 3 by Greg Parks, clerk of the Alexandria Circuit Court.
Pierce currently serves as vice chair of the Alexandria City LGBTQIA+ Task Force and as a member of the Alexandria Pride planning committee. They previously served on the board of directors of Equality Virginia.
Upon being sworn in, Pierce said, “Public service has been a central part of my life for more than 30 years, and this appointment gives me an opportunity to serve the Commonwealth in a different and very personal way. My career has allowed me to work with people and communities throughout Virginia, and I hope to bring that experience, along with my own lived experience and my involvement in the LGBTQ+ community, to the work of the Board.” They added, “Having Greg administer the oath makes the occasion even more meaningful because of his own historic role as Virginia’s first openly gay elected circuit court clerk.”
Pierce also serves as Circuit Court Services Manager for the Department of Judicial Services, at the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia. They began their career in Virginia’s judiciary in 1994 as a deputy clerk with the Virginia Beach Circuit Court and have since held several professional and leadership positions within the court system. Pierce is a member of the National Association for Court Management (NACM) and the Mid-Atlantic Association for Court Management. At the national level, Pierce participated in the workgroup that developed the National Association for Court Management’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Guide, a resource designed to help court professionals advance inclusive practices and strengthen access, fairness and belonging within the justice system.
Pierce earned a degree in Criminal Justice from Liberty University, and a certificate in Paralegal Studies from Norfolk State University.
Maryland
Md. groups receive state grants to fight hate crimes
Pride Center of Maryland among recipients
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy are awarding a total of $10 million in grants in the 2027 fiscal year to nonprofit organizations that work to prevent hate crimes in the state.
The funds will be used to support those who feel targeted or discriminated against because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability status.
The Pride Center of Maryland is among the recipients. Churches, synagogues, mosques, and LGBTQ organizations are all eligible to receive grants
“The safety and security of all Marylanders is my top priority, so we are drawing a hard line because we have no tolerance for hate,” said Moore, according to media reports. “We are committed to protecting and ensuring safe and sacred spaces stay that way by investing in non-profit organizations, houses of worship, and community centers to protect and honor every community that makes our state so diverse and special.”
“Protection Against Hate Crime funding has strengthened the Pride Center of Maryland’s ability to protect, educate, and support the communities we serve … at a time of heightened concern associated with the Trump administration’s anti-LGBTQ/SGL (same-gender-loving) policies and pressures,” Pride Center of Maryland CEO Cleo Manago said. “PAHC funding helps us do more than improve physical security — it strengthens our community’s knowledge, preparedness, connection to resources, and ability to respond to hate with greater awareness and support.”
Maryland’s hate crimes law includes both sexual orientation and gender identity. The state’s nondiscrimination statute is also LGBTQ-inclusive.
District of Columbia
Blade welcomes fall intern
Alexis McLean is student at University of North Florida
The Washington Blade this week welcomed Alexis McLean as its fall intern.
Alexis is studying political science at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. She is interning with the Blade as part of a continued partnership with the Washington Center.
“I am looking forward to spending my time in the fall with the Washington Blade, as this is a new experience for me,” said Alexis. “I have not experienced any journalist jobs in the past so this would be my first time, and I am excited to better my writing and communications skills with this internship.”
Alexis’s internship with the Blade ends in early December.
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