Circuit Court Judge allows defense lawyer to withdraw from case

By Linda Cicoira

An Accomack Circuit Court judge allowed a defense lawyer to withdraw from a case after his client complained that the attorney and the prosecutor were “working together against me.”

The defendant, 31-year-old Norris Ray Beasley, wrote a letter to the court, according to defense lawyer Richard Phillips. The lawyer asked to be removed from the case because the letter said Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan and he are “too friendly.”

Retired Judge H. Thomas Padrick Jr., of Virginia Beach, a former defense lawyer, told Beasley that having a lawyer who has a good relationship with the prosecutor “is a good thing … I wouldn’t burn your bridges… They have lots of cases. They know each other. That doesn’t mean they are conspiring. I don’t know why they would do that.”

Padrick appointed Kelly L. DiCorrado, of Norfolk, serve as Beasley’s new lawyer. He warned Beasley that getting a representative could prolong the trial, which is set for Aug. 31. Both Beasley and Phillips thanked the judge.

Beasley, of Cashville Road in Onancock, was previously arraigned and entered pleas of not guilty to abduction, attempted forcible sodomy, and misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with an Aug. 12, 2022 incident.