DATE: Friday, April 25, 1997                TAG: 9704250592

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TONY GERMANOTTA, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   62 lines

EX-JUDGE WANTS SEAT OF EX-FRIEND IN HOUSE LUTHER C. EDMONDS SEEKS TO OUST THE MAN WHO HELPED PUT HIM ON THE BENCH.

Luther C. Edmonds, the former Norfolk Circuit Court judge who made history this month by suing his colleagues in federal court for $50 million and his old job back, announced Thursday that he was after a new post: the House of Delegates seat now held by friend-turned-critic William P. Robinson Jr.

Edmonds resigned his judgeship in 1996 during a secret hearing into whether he had improperly handled cases involving a former bail bondswoman with whom he had been accused of having a relationship. Edmonds has always denied any relationship with the woman.

Robinson, however, publicly disputed Edmonds' assertion in October, saying that there were indications that Edmonds and the woman had a relationship and that that was why Edmonds resigned.

When he made the statements, Robinson said he expected some backlash for taking sides with Norfolk's other judges instead of Edmonds, whom Robinson had nominated for the bench and pushed to be promoted to Circuit Court.

Robinson, who last fall said he and Edmonds were close friends, said he ``felt a responsibility to my community, to the people who elected me, to set the record straight.''

Robinson was on his way to Richmond Thursday evening and could not be reached for comment. Edmonds, who sent a fax announcing his candidacy, also could not be reached Thursday evening.

Edmonds has contended that Robinson made his statements to curry favor with Norfolk's judges, before whom he frequently appears as a criminal defense attorney.

In his pending lawsuit, Edmonds has alleged that Robinson, although not named as a defendant, was part of a broad conspiracy by the judges and the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission to force him off the bench.

The suit contends that Robinson tried several times to talk Edmonds into resigning instead of facing misconduct charges. The suit says Robinson, who is a ranking lawmaker influential in selecting local judges, came to Edmonds representing the commission and its chief investigator.

This is Edmonds' first attempt at an elected position. He is too late to force a primary election with Robinson, but can still file to run for the 90th District seat in November's general election.

In his announcement, Edmonds cited his 25 years of public service, including 11 years at Tidewater Legal Aid Society and his tenure on the bench from 1988 until he resigned on Sept. 10, 1996.

Edmonds has said he quit not because of the evidence against him but because he feared the pressure of the process might kill his wife, Doris, who had recently had heart bypass surgery and who had been called as a witness before the commission.

Edmonds said he filed the suit - which could force the state to make public the secret proceedings of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission - because his wife's health had improved enough for him to seek justice.

He has also said he might amend the suit to include the governor and the General Assembly if the federal courts decide only those branches of Virginia government can return him to the bench.

Should he win the election, that could leave Edmonds as both plaintiff and defendant in the already unusual case. ILLUSTRATION: Luther C. Edmonds resigned from the bench in 1996

during a secret hearing into whether he had improperly handled some

cases.

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