Daughter of Va. Supreme Court chief justice convicted of shoplifting
A substitute judge convicted Joanna I. Hassell of shoplifting today and suspended a 30-day sentence.
Substitute General District Judge Steven H. Helvin rejected efforts by Hassell's lawyer to acknowledge she took the clothing but to delay consideration of the case to a future date.
Henrico Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Huberman said the move was designed to eventually have the charge dismissed.
Hassell, the 18-year-old daughter of Leroy R. Hassell Sr., the chief justice of the state Supreme Court, left Macy's at Regency Square mall April 11 without paying for several items of clothing. The clothes were valued at $71.97.
Hassell, a Henrico resident and student at the University of Virginia, had performed more than 100 hours of community service before her trial yesterday.
Helvin, of Charlottesville, was named to hear the case after Henrico General District judges recused themselves.
-- Bill McKelway
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Reader Reactions
Why should we attribute community service performed before sentencing to the punishment for the crime?
100 hours of community service already performed…Before going to trial for sentencing??? Come on, people get community service at conviction when they get their time. What kind of community service—Secret Shopper? Yeah, just like that son of a former cop that ran over that man riding on his moped and fled the scene and got no prison time. Virtually no Time. The Average Human in these circumstances would be given punishment.
“Jack” is right….the judicial system is biased at best…and a joke to boot lol….but for a person stealing less than $200 in va, the crime is a misdemeanor, not a felony and it is punishable for UP TO a year in jail..not prison unless they have prior or additional convictions along with that charge….and as far as serving the community service BEFORE the trial…that is simply to justify the sentence to us because they didnt want to appear biased or look as if they were giving preferrential treatment…but they are. At the very least, she should’ve gotten 6 mths with 5 and a half suspended….this reeks of favoritism…..
One year and a fine that is the punishment for this crime for a first timer although most of it can be suspended it would put Ms. Hassel on notice that these actions will not be tolerated regardless who your daddy is.
Bottom line here is she has a “conviction” on her record. That doesn’t go away. Whether she served time or not, her reputation is toast. How could she ruin her life over $71? Some people just don’t think before they act.
The judge should have taken the average sentence for fist time shoplifting under $100 for all cases in Virgina and imposed that. At the very least a 12 month sentence with 11 months suspended.
This smacks of unequal justice because of who she is and the probable pressure exerted on the judges by her father to let her off or at the very minimum.
Shoplifting is a serious crime regardless of the value of items stolen. We all end up paying for these losses and the extremely light sentences gives those inclined to shoplift a go-ahead. Stealing a dress is in no way different than stealing a car. Theft is theft and is against the law.
I’m not a bleeding-heart when it comes to crime and punishment but for a first-time offender that was a reasonable punishment. 1 yr in prison for a first-time offender for shoplifting??....gimme a break. Maybe you could justify a longer commuted sentence but jail time for 1st time offender shoplifting under $100…I dont think so. She already performed community service, I think this was a fair judgment regardless of who she was.
Every post is dead on the sorry judges caved as this is the norm had it been somebody from the “hood” in the same circumstances they would have recieved the 1 year punishment for shoplifting less than $200 and a nice fine to boot. Judges looking out for one another….
Had it been you, me or anyone else that does not have that all important “Do you know who my father is” card, we would be doing the minimum time for shoplifting.
And the Judicial system wonders why people put it down so much. The laws are for EVERYONE! Not just the common people.
UVA student? Honor Code! She’s out!
Or, she would be except for ‘special circumstances’...
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