Parksley man creates disturbance in Accomack County Circuit Court Thursday

By Linda Cicoira

A Parksley man got angry and started yelling at the judge and anyone who was in hearing range Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court before struggling with at least three deputies who managed to get him under control as they moved him into a holding room at the courthouse.

Thirty-eight-year-old Lance Carl Jester, of Woodland Avenue, was indicted on counts of strangulation, abduction, and rape in a November 2021 case. He also is charged with attempting to escape by jumping an Accomack Jail fence in April 2022 that left him injured when he got cut by razor wire.

At the start of the hearing for “status, arraignment, and motion for psychological evaluation,” Jester’s lawyer, Tory N. Delpierre, of Norfolk, asked Judge W. Revell Lewis III to allow her withdraw as counsel as she was “in a predicament where the trust has broken down.”

Jester, who was wearing ankle shackles and a white jail jumpsuit, was permitted to speak and said he and Delpierre could continue. “We would be fine if I could get some clarification on some of the dates … for evaluation,” Jester said, complaining that he had been in jail for a year and a half while awaiting trial.

Lewis granted Delpierre’s request for withdrawal and appointed Patrick Bales, of Newport News, to represent Jester. But the defendant didn’t want that. He said he would rather represent himself.

Lewis said he would not let Jester represent himself without a standby attorney, especially due to the seriousness of the charges.

      “I just want to know what my rights are,” said Jester. “I do not want Mr. Bales,” he said while continuing to interrupt the judge although Lewis asked him to stop. Finally, the judge announced that the proceeding was over and the bailiffs went to escort Jester out of the room. At that point, the suspect struggled with the officers, started yelling, and caused spectators on the left side of the room to scurry out of the way.