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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Wednesday, April 14, 2021:
Following federal guidance announced Tuesday, the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts are holding off on administering Johnson & Johnson vaccines until further notice. Despite the pause, state officials say Virginia is still set to meet its vaccination goals.
Attorney General Mark Herring has directed his Office of Civil Rights to investigate the Windsor Police Department following the December traffic stop of an army officer. A state police investigation is already underway. Herring’s office is looking into whether the department has a pattern of misconduct. One of the officers was fired over the incident. He’s seen in body camera footage threatening and pepper-spraying Lieutenant Caron Nazario. A reform passed by the General Assembly during a special session last summer empowers Virginia’s Attorney General to investigate law enforcement agencies to identify and stop patterns of unconstitutional practices.
Herring has also hired a team dedicated to identifying and overturning wrongful convictions in Virginia. He announced the creation of the Conviction Integrity Unit in January. In a press release Tuesday, Herring said he has hired two attorneys and an investigator. They all previously worked in Virginia Capital Defender offices, which exclusively represent defendants facing the death penalty. Those offices began closing after the state banned capital punishment. The General Assembly also passed a law last year making it easier for people who were wrongfully convicted to pursue their claims.
It’s been nearly a year since Richmond removed more than a dozen city-owned Confederate monuments and iconography. Earlier this week, Mayor Levar Stoney proposed a resolution he says will ensure the city never displays symbols of hate again.
- School officials in Chesterfield County are encouraging all students to return to buildings this fall. But for families who aren’t ready to send their children back, the district is proposing two alternatives.
