Jury trial begins for violent crimes alleged by Greenbush man

By Linda Cicoira

The jury was selected, opening statements were made, and the first of the prosecution’s witnesses testified Tuesday in Accomack Circuit Court in the case of a Norfolk man accused of abduction, robbery, theft, and firearms offenses at the home of an elderly Greenbush area resident in early 2024.

Forty-five-year-old Bennie Jerrod Foust, of Saint Julian Avenue, pleaded not guilty to the charges that are alleged to have occurred at the then 73-year-old Orllie Marshall Poulson’s home on John Kane Road on Jan. 7, 2024.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan said a bell alerted Poulson that someone was coming down his driveway that day. He went outside to see who was there and observed a silver Mercedes pulling up. A well-dressed man got out of the car and said he was interested in doing business with Poulson.

Poulson told authorities the man seemed legitimate. So, he invited him into the house. Morgan said two other men wearing masks rushed in after them. The first man pulled a gun. They wanted money. Poulson was made to lie on the floor, gave them thousands of dollars in cash, was zip-tied, told them he had more money in his truck, was taken out to the vehicle, was then zip-tied to the steering wheel, and his phone and keys were thrown away from the scene, Morgan said.

The prosecutor said Poulson told police he managed to cut the zip-ties with hedge clippers in his truck. He found his keys in the yard and drove to the sheriff’s office. He later realized that a gun was also taken.

“Bennie Foust did not rob Mr. Poulson,” Defense lawyer Eric Korslund told the jury. “He didn’t do it. Sometimes, people make mistakes. Please keep an open mind. Listen to all the evidence.”

Korslund contended that the only evidence of the crimes was Mr. Poulson. He said Poulson was wearing expensive jewelry and had cash on him when he went to the sheriff’s office claiming the robbers were with the cartel and that Poulson’s partner owed them money.

“You can’t make this up,” Korslund said. He can only remember that the first man had a tattoo on his neck. “He tells them he can’t identify them.”

The defense lawyer says Foust was the only person in a lineup with a tattoo on his neck, and Poulson still didn’t identify him. There is no forensic, DNA, or fingerprint evidence. “They are grasping at straws. I’m up here saying prove it,” he added.

“I’m not sure a robbery ever even happened,” the defense lawyer continued. “Why would he make this up? Tens of thousands of reasons,” Korslund said.

     Poulson took the stand late Tuesday and will continue to testify Wednesday. The trial is scheduled for three days. Morgan said evidence would include neighboring cameras and a camera from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.