Crime & Safety

Alexandria Circuit Court Judges Recuse Themselves from Charles Severance Case

Requesting Va. Supreme Court to appoint a special judge to preside over case. Severance expected to be transferred to Alexandria Monday.

All three of Alexandria’s Circuit Court judges arerecusing themselves from the Charles Severance case, according to a report by FOX-DC. Severance was charged last week in the murders of three prominent Alexandrians.

The judges are Lisa Kemler, Nolan Dawkins and James Clark. Kemler was appointed in 2005, Dawkins in 2008 and Clark was sworn in in 2012.

Defense attorneys Chris Leibig, Joe King andMegan Thomas will represent Severance, according to NBC-4.

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Severance, who was being held on a gun charge in Loudoun County, is expected to be brought to Alexandria Monday and appear via video for an arraignment. The gun charge is expected to be dropped.

He has been indicted on the following charges:

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  • Nancy Dunning Case: First Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony
  • Ron Kirby Case: Capital Murder, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Felon
  • Ruthanne Lodato Case: Capital Murder, two counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, and Malicious Wounding

Lodato’s brother Eugene Robert Giammittorio is a retired Alexandria General District Court judge.

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