Bill Text: VA SJR149 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: General Assembly; support revocation of State's consent to transfer of Jens Soering.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2010-03-14 - Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ149ER) [SJR149 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2010-SJR149-Introduced.html

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10104697D
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 149 Offered January 27, 2010 Expressing support of the revocation of the Commonwealth's consent to the transfer of Jens Soering to the Federal Republic of Germany. ---------- Patrons-- Newman, Hurt and Petersen; Delegates: Byron and Putney ---------- Unanimous consent to introduce ---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, on April 3, 1985, Derek and Nancy Haysom of Bedford County were found stabbed at their home by a neighbor; and

WHEREAS, Jens Soering, a student at the University of Virginia and native of West Germany, and his then girlfriend, Elizabeth Haysom, daughter of Derek and Nancy Haysom, were suspected; and

WHEREAS, the couple fled to Europe and were arrested in 1986 on fraud charges by the British police and brought back to the United States for trial; and

WHEREAS, in 1990, Jens Soering was convicted by a Bedford County Circuit Court jury of two counts of first degree murder for the 1985 killings of Derek Haysom and Nancy Haysom and received two life sentences for the slayings; and

WHEREAS, Jens Soering is currently serving those two life terms at the Brunswick Correctional Center in Lawrenceville; and

WHEREAS, on January 12, 2010, Jens Soering's application for international transfer was authorized; the transfer would require Jens Soering to serve two more years in prison in Germany before being eligible for parole; and

WHEREAS, on January 19, 2010, the Governor of Virginia sent a letter to the Attorney General of the United States revoking Virginia's consent to the transfer; and

WHEREAS, it is in the interests of justice and in fairness to Derek and Nancy Haysom that Jens Soering serve out his punishment in the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly support the revocation of the Commonwealth's consent to the transfer of Jens Soering; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to Governor Robert McDonnell, requesting that the Governor further disseminate copies of this resolution to the Department of Justice so that it may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.