THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 3, 1996 TAG: 9610030351
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JUNE ARNEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 37 lines
William Lawrence Spruill Jr. was convicted Wednesday of burglary and grand larceny in the theft of an all-terrain vehicle from the home of the city's former vice mayor.
Spruill, the son of Police Capt. William L. Spruill, was charged after the November 1994 theft of the vehicle from the home of Robert T. Nance Jr., who was vice mayor at the time.
Circuit Judge J. Warren Stephens set a sentencing hearing for Nov. 27.
The Chesapeake Police Department came under fire in March over its handling of Spruill's case and two other cases involving sons of city officials.
An internal investigation resulted in the reprimand of five officers, including Capt. Spruill, the chief's administrative aide.
Council members dropped their focus on the Police Department's actions after the state police and the chief judge of the Circuit Court said that there was insufficient evidence to investigate.
In another case that sparked the investigation, William Jeremy Brickhouse, son of a captain in the Chesapeake Sheriff's Department, pleaded guilty in June to a misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen property in connection with an all-terrain vehicle taken from Givens Honda in 1994.
Brickhouse originally had been charged with receiving stolen property as a felony, but he pleaded guilty to the lesser offense.
A judge ordered Brickhouse to pay $633 in restitution to Givens Honda and to remain on good behavior for a year. Under the plea agreement, the misdemeanor charge will be dismissed if Brickhouse complies with the terms.
In May, Allen Keith Butt, son of Chesapeake Councilman John Butt, was acquitted of receiving stolen goods in a 5 1/2-hour bench trial. Butt also had been accused of receiving goods taken from Givens Honda.
KEYWORDS: AUTOMOBILE THEFT ARREST TRIAL
VERDICT by CNB