Loading chat...
VA HB1472
Bill
Status
Enrolled
3/14/2026
Primary Sponsor
Richard Sullivan
Click for details
AI Summary
- Messiah Aladar Johnson was convicted in Norfolk Circuit Court on October 29, 1998, of multiple felonies including robbery, firearm offenses, and abduction, receiving a 132-year sentence
- Johnson served more than 20 years in Virginia Department of Corrections before receiving a conditional pardon from Governor Terry McAuliffe on January 12, 2018, based on credible evidence supporting his innocence claims
- Evidence supporting Johnson's innocence included a confession from another incarcerated individual who committed similar robberies, unreliable eyewitness identification that investigators deemed unusable, and his trial attorney's subsequent disbarment for failing to diligently pursue cases
- The Court of Appeals of Virginia ruled on August 25, 2025, that Johnson's conditional pardon converted to an absolute pardon, and the Norfolk Circuit Court granted expungement of his records on December 23, 2025
- Appropriates funds from the general fund to compensate Johnson for wrongful incarceration, with the specific amount to be determined in the appropriation act
Legislative Description
Relief; Johnson, Messiah Aladar, compensation for wrongful incarceration.
Last Action
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1472)
3/16/2026
Committee Referrals
Finance and Appropriations2/16/2026
Appropriations: General Government & Capital Outlay1/28/2026
Appropriations1/23/2026
Full Bill Text
No bill text available