Judge Denies Petition To Release November 2022 Reports Before Criminal Trial

The Albemarle County Circuit Court has denied an effort to compel the release of reports from an external review of the 2022 shooting at the University of Virginia, siding with the University’s argument that the documents are criminal investigative files, encompassing part of the file a prosecutor is using in the case against the accused shooter.  

Judge Melvin Hughes’ ruling came after Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Hingeley, who is prosecuting the case against Christopher Jones, sought an injunction preventing disclosure of the reports, citing the potential that their release could negatively affect the pending criminal trial. Jones’ defense attorney also expressed the same concern. 

The judge’s order denied a lawsuit brought under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act by the parent company of The Daily Progress newspaper and one of its reporters that challenged the University’s refusal to disclose reports from the external review. That review was requested by UVA and commissioned by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. The University, which has committed to release the reports at the conclusion of the criminal proceedings, denied the reporter’s request, citing multiple exemptions in the commonwealth’s open records law, including one shielding documents that are criminal investigative files from public disclosure. 

Jones is charged with aggravated murder for the November 2022 shooting deaths of Devin Chandler, D’Sean Perry and Lavel Davis Jr. on Grounds. The three were student-athletes on the football team. Jones is also charged with aggravated malicious wounding for shooting and injuring two other student-athletes, Mike Hollins and Marlee Morgan.