South Charleston Man Believed to Have Been Murdered

Police are searching for two people following what was described as the discovery of a “gruesome” crime scene inside a home on Macon Street in South Charleston.  The police found James Andrew Gillespie, 51, dead in his home yesterday around 11:00 a.m. after Gillespie’s brother contacted police and asked them to check the residence.  The [...]

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WV Trooper Accused of Rape Resigns

The Charleston Gazette reported today that a West Virginia State Trooper accused of rape has resigned.  The article is here.  The Gazette reported that the woman involved alleges she was drunk and forced to have sex with the Trooper last month after he followed her to a friend’s house.   If you or a loved [...]

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Fayette County Sheriff Investigating Montgomery Beating

The Register-Herald reported today that the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department is investigating allegations that a black man was beaten by a pair of Montgomery, WV police officers on Friday night.  The article is here.  The article reports that the victim of the beating was charged with battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, and obstruction [...]

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Accusations of Racially Charged Beating in Montgomery, WV

The Charleston Gazette reported yesterday that one Montgomery, West Virginia police officer was fired and another was placed on administrative leave Saturday after the alleged beating of a black man on Friday.  The story is here.  The story reports that two Montgomery officers allegedly hit a black victim over the head repeatedly with a blackjack, [...]

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Huntington West Virginia Rape Incident

The Herald-Dispatch reported yesterday that a seventeen year old girl was raped at an apartment complex in East Pea Ridge.  The report is here.  The assailant was described in the article as a white male in his 20s, medium slender build, with short, dirty blond hair.  Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or [...]

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Making West Virginia Inmates Work – A Great Idea

A story in the Register-Herald yesterday reported that the possibility of making inmates work to pay for their upkeep was presented to a legislative panel.  The story is here.  The report did not mention which legislative panel was reviewing the proposal, but it did note that money earned by convicts could be used to pay [...]

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Crime Victim Compensation Fund Q & A

The following information is provided as a general overview of the West Virginia Crime Victim Compensation fund.  Each case has a different set of facts and circumstances, so we recommend getting the advice of an attorney.  Rist Law Offices provides free initial consultations to crime victims and we also will assist with making a claim [...]

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