Virginia
January 18, 2025 – Virginia Attorney General Miyares Condemns President Biden’s Last Minute Clemency for Cop Killer and Accomplice
Commonwealth of Virginia
Office of the Attorney General
Jason S. Miyares
Attorney General
202 North 9th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804-786-2071
FAX 804-786-1991
Virginia Relay Service
800-828-1120
For media inquiries only, contact:
Shaun Kenney
Virginia Attorney General Miyares Condemns President Biden’s Last Minute Clemency for Cop Killer and Accomplice
RICHMOND, VA – Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares today issued the following statement after President Joe Biden announced clemency for Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson – the “Waverly Two” whose criminal acts caused the death of Officer Allen Gibson in 1998.
“I am absolutely outraged by what has happened. My heart is shattered knowing that the men that killed my father are going to be released from prison and can walk the streets freely,” stated Officer Gibson’s daughter, Crissana Gibson. “This is a huge miscarriage of justice, and I am completely disgusted by the outgoing administration. The Virginia Attorney General’s office has worked tirelessly to keep these murderers behind bars, and I am forever grateful for their dedication and hard work. I am so disappointed that the disgraceful Biden administration has failed my family, my father, and the entire law enforcement community. Neither my family nor I have ever supported the release of Richardson or Claiborne, and we denounce this decision by the outgoing failed presidency of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party’s abuse of the justice system.”
“If the Democrats intend to build their vision of social justice on a pile of dead law enforcement officers, they could send no stronger message than the one they sent today,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “The decision not to pardon but merely commute the sentence of Terence Richardson only supports our position that he is in fact guilty of manslaughter. This office will continue to exhaust itself in seeking justice for the family of Officer Allen Gibson and ensuring that those involved are held to account.”
On April 25, 1998, 25-year-old Officer Allen Gibson woke up and went to work as a Waverly police officer. He put on his bulletproof vest and said goodbye to his eight-year-old daughter Crissana. Officer Gibson found Terence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne engaged in a drug deal behind an apartment building. The men attacked Officer Gibson, and Richardson disarmed Officer Gibson and fatally shot him in the stomach right below his bulletproof vest.
Terence Richardson pleaded guilty in Virginia court to involuntary manslaughter, and Ferrone Claiborne pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact. A federal appeals court held in 2002 that Richardson “intentionally shot Gibson,” and that the facts “amply support the finding” that Richardson and Claiborne “murdered Gibson.”
Not only did President Obama deny clemency to Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson, but the Biden White House was recently advised by the U.S. Attorney General not to commute the sentences of certain violent offenders.
“Yesterday, Joe Biden woke up and decided that these two violent criminals deserve clemency,” said Miyares. “Joe Biden should be ashamed, but we know that he probably doesn’t even know what he signed. Biden and his staff deserve scorn, shame, and derision for this despicable act. Shame on you, Joe Biden and your enabling staff.
“May the memory of Officer Allen Gibson and his family haunt each of you forever.”
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Things are beginning to slow down for James Franklin since being hired at Virginia Tech in November. Sure, you can say that it never really slows down for a college football coach, but since signing his contract in Blacksburg, he has made major strides in recruiting, bringing the Hokies from near the bottom of the FBS to a Top 25 class with the Class of 2026.
Franklin has also been building his first staff at Virginia Tech. In both cases, recruiting and coaching additions, he has gone back to his Penn State roots to pluck both recruits and coaches. Heck, he is even reportedly bringing back former Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry, who was fired in September to open the door for Franklin to come to Tech, as his defensive coordinator.
The transfer portal opens up next month, and there are going to be several needs that Franklin and his staff are going to have to address. There are going to be several portal targets, and one of them announced he was leaving Penn State and made it clear that he was thankful for Franklin for his time in State College. Is it a sign of things to come when he enters the portal?
Penn State transfer Chaz Coleman opens door for reunion with James Franklin
It was reported by Hayes Fawcett of Rivals and On3 that five-star Penn State edge Chaz Coleman was entering the transfer portal. Coleman quoted the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, and made it a point to thank Franklin and his staff for believing in him.
“After much thought and consideration, I have decided to enter the transfer portal this coming January to pursue other opportunities. I’d like thank James Franklin and his staff for believing in me and teaching me what it means to believe in myself,” Coleman wrote.
Coleman becomes one of the most coveted players when the portal opens, and the Warren, Ohio native will have no shortage of suitors. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound edge rusher played well as a freshman for the Nittany Lions with eight tackles in five games. Several of the top programs are going to be in on him. Don’t be surprised if Ohio State makes a major push for him.
As far as Virginia Tech goes, does Franklin get in the mix? That remains to be seen, but stranger things have happened. He would be a tremendous get for the Hokies, who need help along the defensive side of the ball along the line. Did he call out Franklin by coincidence, or is there an underlying message there? Most likely the first one, but we’ll see.
Pictured: Wachapreague General Store. Photo credit- James Bell, 2021 Wachapreague General Store. Photo credit- James Bell, 2021
Virginia has added eight new sites to the Virginia Landmarks Register, recognizing places across the Commonwealth for their historic, architectural, and cultural significance, including a historic district on the Eastern Shore.
The Commonwealth’s Board of Historic Resources approved the designations during its quarterly public meeting on December 11 in Richmond. The Virginia Landmarks Register is the state’s official list of properties deemed important to Virginia’s history and heritage.
Among the newly designated sites is the Wachapreague Historic District. Encompassing 96 acres, the district includes the waterfront town of Wachapreague, which developed from the late 19th through the early 20th centuries as a destination for hunting and fishing and as a commercial hub with access to the Wachapreague Channel and the Atlantic Ocean.
The district features a concentration of residential and commercial buildings constructed in vernacular, Folk Victorian, and other architectural styles common to the Eastern Shore during the town’s period of growth. While Wachapreague’s population declined beginning in the 1960s, the town continues to attract visitors from across Virginia and beyond.
Other sites approved for listing include properties in Arlington, Bath, Frederick, Loudoun, and Pittsylvania counties; the city of Petersburg; and the town of Mount Jackson in Shenandoah County. Collectively, the new landmarks highlight a diverse range of resources, from a 20th-century airfield built for early commercial air travelers to a mill dam and mill pond complex that once served as a recreational and social center in Southwest Virginia.
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources will forward documentation for the newly listed sites to the National Park Service for consideration for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
State and national register listings are honorary and do not place restrictions on private property owners. Instead, the designations are intended to encourage public understanding of Virginia’s historic places and provide property owners with the opportunity to pursue historic rehabilitation tax credits. Any tax credit projects must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
RICHMOND, Va. (WSET) — Governor Glenn Youngkin laid out his final budget plan on Wednesday, making his case for where Virginia stands financially and where he said it should go next.
Speaking before the General Assembly, Youngkin said Virginia is strong both financially and economically, arguing his budget keeps that momentum going as his term comes to an end.
Addressing lawmakers, Youngkin presented what he described as a turnaround for the commonwealth. “It’s a story of transformation, a story of promises made and promises kept,” Youngkin said.
The governor credited his administration with record business investment, job growth, and strong revenue. He said Virginia is in a better position now than it was four years ago.
“The pace has been fast, and the progress has been significant,” Youngkin said.
SEE ALSO: Lynchburg City Schools gifted plaque to commemorate 160 years of education
In his budget proposal, Youngkin calls for cutting taxes, not raising them, urging lawmakers and the next administration to stay the course.
“Revenue growth that is driven by record economic development, record job growth, strong consumer, and giving me great confidence in the future of Virginia,” he said.
Youngkin said his plan funds key priorities, including education, public safety, health care, tax relief, and child care, while keeping Virginia competitive for business.
“The net of it is a budget that is structurally sound. A budget that can take Virginia into the future and keep her soaring,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin is now asking lawmakers to adopt his budget framework as negotiations begin, with debate shifting to the General Assembly and the incoming governor’s administration.
“I think that leaves considerable upside for the next administration, and we’ve used that strong underpinning to provide for everything that the commonwealth needs to do,” Youngkin said.
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