Skip to main content

Ex-Va. lawmaker files appeal in corruption case

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Former Virginia lawmaker Phil Hamilton has filed a new appeal in his federal corruption case, claiming ineffective counsel in his 2011 trial.

The longtime Republican delegate from Newport News is currently serving a 9½-year sentence in a federal prison in New Jersey for bribery and extortion.

Hamilton was convicted of soliciting a job at Old Dominion University that he helped create with taxpayer money.

The Virginian-Pilot reports (http://bit.ly/1rQapPu) that Hamilton now says he received ineffective assistance from his trial attorney and deserves a new trial. He lost a previous appeal in 2012.

Hamilton’s appeal was placed on the docket for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond on Friday.

He’s pursuing his current appeal without an attorney and has requested a filing fee waiver because he’s indigent.

___

Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
Read Next Story