PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) 鈥� A Virginia public defender who had been accused of vandalizing a Confederate monument is now a Circuit Court judge.
Portsmouth鈥檚 chief public defender Brenda Spry was appointed the position Tuesday after receiving 33 votes in the Senate and 51 votes in the House of Delegates.
A lone Republican 鈥測es鈥� vote in the House secured the win for Spry.
Spry has been a public defender in the city for three decades, leading the department for 13 years.
Charges were dropped in November against Spry and 18 others after a Confederate statue was vandalized.
Her eight-year judgeship begins next month.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
