Saturday, July 22, 2006
A Crime Story
Whatever happened to Charlton E. "Charlie" Gnadt Jr., that moral pillar of rectitude who was sentenced to jail for three months for fondling a hapless prisoner?!?
Mr. Gnadt worked as assistant commonwealth attorney in Prince William County where he often escorted shackled prisoners into court.
Well, Gnadt got caught with his hands in the cookie jar, sort've speak, taking sexual liberties with an Army medic, allegedly looking for "hidden weapons inside his trousers."
Back in February 1996, Gnadt was convicted of "sexual battery" but the verdict was overturned on appeal to the lesser charge of "assault and battery." Gnadt was then sentenced to 12 months in prison with nine months suspended.
The Washington Post reported in 1996:
That was still not good enough for Gnadt, though; he wanted the guilty verdict stricken from his record and appealed the decision to Virginia's highest court.
The Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's finding in Gnadt v. Commonwealth on April 14, 1998. Too bad it didn't also repeal the District Court's finding and go back to the initial trial court's ruling, "guilty of sexual battery." As it is, Gnadt is who knows where preying on innocent folks.
Update: Jaded JD pointed out that Virginia's highest court is the Supreme Court. HL should have said the appeal was to the next highest court. Sorry:(
And...to hopefully clarify the series of events, here's what happened. Gnadt was found guilty in District Court. He appealed and had the initial verdict changed by Prince William Circuit Court Judge Thomas A. Fortkort from "sexual battery" to "assault and battery." He then appealed to Virginia Court of Appeals, which affirmed the lower court ruling.
Mr. Gnadt worked as assistant commonwealth attorney in Prince William County where he often escorted shackled prisoners into court.
Well, Gnadt got caught with his hands in the cookie jar, sort've speak, taking sexual liberties with an Army medic, allegedly looking for "hidden weapons inside his trousers."
Back in February 1996, Gnadt was convicted of "sexual battery" but the verdict was overturned on appeal to the lesser charge of "assault and battery." Gnadt was then sentenced to 12 months in prison with nine months suspended.
The Washington Post reported in 1996:
A U.S. District Court jury awarded the Army medic $165,000; but with the new finding, Gnadt avoided the heavy burden and shame of registering as a sex offender.Gnadt, 48, did not take the stand in his trial, in Prince William County General District Court. But his former boss, Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Paul B. Ebert, testified that Gnadt admitted to the crime in his office several days after it happened."
He said, 'It was stupid of me. I don't know why I did it.' He said, 'Please don't fire me,' " Ebert testified. "I said, 'How many times has this happened?' and he said two or three. I said, 'Could it have been three or four?' and he said yes."
That was still not good enough for Gnadt, though; he wanted the guilty verdict stricken from his record and appealed the decision to Virginia's highest court.
The Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's finding in Gnadt v. Commonwealth on April 14, 1998. Too bad it didn't also repeal the District Court's finding and go back to the initial trial court's ruling, "guilty of sexual battery." As it is, Gnadt is who knows where preying on innocent folks.
Update: Jaded JD pointed out that Virginia's highest court is the Supreme Court. HL should have said the appeal was to the next highest court. Sorry:(
And...to hopefully clarify the series of events, here's what happened. Gnadt was found guilty in District Court. He appealed and had the initial verdict changed by Prince William Circuit Court Judge Thomas A. Fortkort from "sexual battery" to "assault and battery." He then appealed to Virginia Court of Appeals, which affirmed the lower court ruling.
// posted by Howling Latina @ 2:02 PM 
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I see what you mean. I should have said Virginia's next highest court:(
And...to hopefully clarify the series of events, here's what happened.
Gnadt was found guilty in District Court. He appealed and had the initial verdict changed by Prince William Circuit Court Judge Thomas A. Fortkort from "sexual battery" to "assault and battery."
He then appealed to Virginia Court of Appeals, which affirmed the lower court ruling.
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And...to hopefully clarify the series of events, here's what happened.
Gnadt was found guilty in District Court. He appealed and had the initial verdict changed by Prince William Circuit Court Judge Thomas A. Fortkort from "sexual battery" to "assault and battery."
He then appealed to Virginia Court of Appeals, which affirmed the lower court ruling.
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