Cypress trial underway

By Linda Cicoira

The Chief of the Accomack Indian Nation said Tuesday during the first day of her criminal trial in Northampton Circuit Court that she was trying to right a wrong and reclaim the land of her ancestors when she filed quitclaims or encumbrances on numerous high-valued properties and allegedly conspired with others to file such documents.

Fifty-one felony indictments, convictions of which could carry up to 380 years in prison, claim that 61-year-old Lisa Renia Cypress, a registered nurse who lives in Decatur, Georgia, filed those papers with malice or got others to do so.

The properties include Indiantown Park, where Cypress said she is forbidden to visit a burial ground of her indigenous ancestors; a PNC Bank parcel in Eastville; historic Eyre Hall farm; the 1765 Eyreville brick house and property; Smith Beach parcels; Hermitage Farm; parcels in the Bay Creek development in Cape Charles; Bayside Village parcels; Pocahontas Farm; and the former Rosenwald School in Cape Charles, which is owned by a restoration initiative and recently opened to the public.

Cypress insisted that she and the others in the Accomack Nation own the properties. She was unsuccessful in claiming the park and bank parcels in U.S. District Court in 2023. She said Tuesday that she has filed more papers in that court recently in an effort to reopen the case.

She said her patents for the properties go back to the 1600s.

“They uphold the patents if your complexion is the right color,” she said.

Cypress represented herself at trial despite being appointed lawyers she refused to take advice from or allow to stand by in case she needed their assistance. She started Tuesday by saying her right to a speedy trial was violated. But she repeatedly stalled, asked for continuances, and on one occasion did not show up for a court date. She also unsuccessfully asked for a dismissal for lack of jurisdiction.

She continued to argue with Judge Lynwood W. Lewis Jr. throughout the day.

“I talk, you don’t,” Lewis eventually told her. “There are procedures we follow.”

“I’m not being disrespectful,” Cypress said.

“Yes, you are,” Lewis answered.

“No, I’m not,” she said, getting in the last word.

The judge repeatedly cautioned her against representing herself.

“I can’t give you advice,” he said. “You’re on your own.”

Commonwealth’s Attorney Jack Thornton showed a video of her arrest. The recording showed her telling an officer that laws did not apply to her because authorities do not have jurisdiction over Native Americans.

Thornton said her tribe is not recognized federally or by Virginia.

“The district court said her claims were baseless,” Thornton said. “In her anger, she ignored its decision.”

“I am not some person that is outside of the law,” Cypress said. “I was being harassed.”

Cypress said the civil dismissal “doesn’t mean the patents are not valid. It does not mean you are frivolous… They violated the Constitution. Those patents are forever.”

She continued, saying, “I’m a nurse. I take care of people. I massage hearts. I cannot be false. People’s lives depend on me to be honest. If I lie, people die. There is no way I am a fraud.”

Evidence showed a million-dollar-plus sale at the Bay Creek development fell through after Cypress filed the encumbrance against the property in 2024. The land and house were finally sold a couple of months ago after the claim was removed. The company lost $70,000 because of it.

Cypress previously complained that her alleged conspirators were never named. Thornton said Tuesday there were quitclaims filed by other Accomack Nation members: Cynthia Manley, Naomi Pearl Cypress, and Thomas Patterson.

Cypress argued that filing documents is not “trickery.”

“Everything was done publicly,” she said. “This is not some kind of weird stuff. Things have to be done differently. This is what it is when you’re trying to do something that hasn’t been done before. This is about righting the wrongs… this will not disappear because you lock me up… they’ve defrauded people by keeping this going… this is about human rights.”

The trial will resume today with jury instructions, closing arguments, and deliberations.