Desper v. Woodson

By Judge Victor V. Ludwig

This matter is before the Court on the Petition for Habeas Corpus filed by James Paul Desper, the focus of which was limited to assertions of ineffective counsel, and on the Commonwealth’s Motion to Dismiss.

I. Procedure and Facts

On March 8,2010, Desper pleaded not guilty to four felonies, specifically, a violation of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-67.1 and three violations of § 18.2-61, and, at a bench trial, the Court found him guilty of all charges. By order entered on September 1, 2010, the Court sentenced him to twenty years on each of four charges, to run consecutively,…