News
Washburn Trial
Wed-Aug.15 ,2007
Washburn
enters plea on kidnapping and rape charges
(08/15)
August 15, 2007-WDBJ 7
Andrew Washburn has been convicted of the January abduction and rape of a woman in Clifton Forge. Washburn entered a plea agreement Wednesday morning in Alleghany County court. He entered an Alford plea to the kidnapping and rape charges. That means he acknowledges there's enough evidence to convict him, but he does not admit he's guilty.
Washburn abducted a woman in a Clifton Forge parking lot on January 23, 2007. They then drove to a remote area in Botetourt County along Callie Mines Road where Washburn raped her.
Prosecutors say had this case gone to trial, there would have been plenty of evidence against him, including DNA, footprints, and photos. "The evidence of his guilt is so overwhelming," says Alleghany County Commonwealth Attorney Ed Stein. "There's no doubt at all that he committed these terrible crimes."
But one question that remains a mystery to many, even to his family members, is why he committed these crimes. "He [was] visibly upset when he saw the photographs of what happened to her," says Washburn's attorney Deborah Caldwell-Bono. "While I've been working with him throughout, he's been as concerned about her and how she was doing as how he was doing."
Relatives who seemed stunned by the charges still have trouble believing what happened. More than two dozen family members were present when Andrew Washburn was arraigned last January, convinced he was innocent. They said Washburn was incapable of committing such a violent act. Many of Washburn's family members were also in court Wednesday when he entered his plea, and some of them were very emotional.
As a part of the plea deal, two gun charges were dropped because they essentially duplicated other charges. A date for Washburn's sentencing has not yet been set, but it most likely will happen sometime this fall. For now, Washburn remains in the Botetourt County jail.
Suspect Pleads Guilty
BY DARRELL GLEASON - Virginian Review - August 15, 2007
State Editor
A Clifton Forge man pled guilty this morning to charges associated with the abduction and rape of a woman in January.
Andrew Michael Washburn, 19, entered Alford pleas to the charges. Under the Alford pleas, Washburn does not admit to committing the crimes, but concedes that sufficient evidence exists to support findings of guilt.
This morning’s hearing was a joint hearing of the Alleghany County and Botetourt County circuit courts. The hearing was held in Alleghany County Circuit Court in Covington before Judge Malfourd W. Trumbo. Evidence was presented by Alleghany County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ed Stein and Botetourt County Commonwealth’s Attorney Joel Branscom.
In Alleghany County, Washburn pled guilty to abduction with intent to defile, robbery, carjacking, use of a firearm while committing abduction and use of a firearm while committing robbery.
In Botetourt County, Washburn pled guilty to rape, malicious wounding and use of a firearm while committing a rape.
Additional charges of use of a firearm while committing carjacking and use of a firearm while committing a malicious wounding were nol prossed as part of the plea agreement.
Washburn will be sentenced after a pre-sentence investigation is conducted and a victim impact statement is filed. The sentencing will take place during a joint hearing in Alleghany County Circuit Court. Judge Trumbo said Washburn’s sentencing will be scheduled for the court’s next term this fall.
Police said Washburn abducted a woman in Clifton Forge at gunpoint the morning of Jan. 23 and later sexually assaulted her in a remote area of Botetourt County. Washburn was arrested Jan. 25 at the Clifton Forge Police Department.
The woman was abducted just before 10 a.m. on Jan. 23 outside an Alleghany County Community Services Board office on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Church Street in Clifton Forge.
The woman was in the parking lot when Washburn, armed with a weapon, forced her back into the car she was driving. Police said Washburn forced her to drive the Buick sedan to a remote area of Callie Mine Road on Iron Gate Hill in Botetourt County, and raped her. Police said Washburn punched the woman in the face. Clifton Forge Police Investigator Sgt. Ronnie Paxton said the woman suffered facial bruises, lacerations and a fractured orbit around one of her eyes.
“She was struck with a fist. She said he held the firearm and struck her with his fist,” Paxton said.
Following the sexual assault in Botetourt County, Washburn drove the woman to Verge Street, just outside the Clifton Forge town limits, and robbed her of $40 as he got out of the car.
Washburn then fled the scene and the woman drove back to Clifton Forge and called police. Clifton Forge police were notified at 11:45 a.m.
Washburn lived on Frazier Hill Lane in Clifton Forge, about one-half mile from the Verge Street area. Eyewitness placed a man matching Washburn’s description heading toward Frazier Hill Lane around the time the woman’s attacker got out of the car on Verge Street. Eyewitnesses also told police they saw a man matching Washburn’s description walking from Frazier Hill Lane toward the general area of the Community Services Board office before the abduction occurred.
Paxton said footprints found at the crime scene in Botetourt County matched boots that belong to Washburn. DNA samples taken from the victim also linked Washburn to the crime, Paxton said.
The victim and witnesses also identified Washburn from a photographic lineup of eight potential suspects.
A police K-9 unit also tracked Washburn’s scent from the place where he exited the victim’s car on Verge Street to his grandfather’s residence on Frazier Hill Lane.
Washburn and his attorney, Deborah Caldwell-Bono of Roanoke, reached the plea agreement with Stein and Branscom Saturday.
August 15, 2007-WDBJ 7
Andrew Washburn has been convicted of the January abduction and rape of a woman in Clifton Forge. Washburn entered a plea agreement Wednesday morning in Alleghany County court. He entered an Alford plea to the kidnapping and rape charges. That means he acknowledges there's enough evidence to convict him, but he does not admit he's guilty.
Washburn abducted a woman in a Clifton Forge parking lot on January 23, 2007. They then drove to a remote area in Botetourt County along Callie Mines Road where Washburn raped her.
Prosecutors say had this case gone to trial, there would have been plenty of evidence against him, including DNA, footprints, and photos. "The evidence of his guilt is so overwhelming," says Alleghany County Commonwealth Attorney Ed Stein. "There's no doubt at all that he committed these terrible crimes."
But one question that remains a mystery to many, even to his family members, is why he committed these crimes. "He [was] visibly upset when he saw the photographs of what happened to her," says Washburn's attorney Deborah Caldwell-Bono. "While I've been working with him throughout, he's been as concerned about her and how she was doing as how he was doing."
Relatives who seemed stunned by the charges still have trouble believing what happened. More than two dozen family members were present when Andrew Washburn was arraigned last January, convinced he was innocent. They said Washburn was incapable of committing such a violent act. Many of Washburn's family members were also in court Wednesday when he entered his plea, and some of them were very emotional.
As a part of the plea deal, two gun charges were dropped because they essentially duplicated other charges. A date for Washburn's sentencing has not yet been set, but it most likely will happen sometime this fall. For now, Washburn remains in the Botetourt County jail.
Suspect Pleads Guilty
BY DARRELL GLEASON - Virginian Review - August 15, 2007
State Editor
A Clifton Forge man pled guilty this morning to charges associated with the abduction and rape of a woman in January.
Andrew Michael Washburn, 19, entered Alford pleas to the charges. Under the Alford pleas, Washburn does not admit to committing the crimes, but concedes that sufficient evidence exists to support findings of guilt.
This morning’s hearing was a joint hearing of the Alleghany County and Botetourt County circuit courts. The hearing was held in Alleghany County Circuit Court in Covington before Judge Malfourd W. Trumbo. Evidence was presented by Alleghany County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ed Stein and Botetourt County Commonwealth’s Attorney Joel Branscom.
In Alleghany County, Washburn pled guilty to abduction with intent to defile, robbery, carjacking, use of a firearm while committing abduction and use of a firearm while committing robbery.
In Botetourt County, Washburn pled guilty to rape, malicious wounding and use of a firearm while committing a rape.
Additional charges of use of a firearm while committing carjacking and use of a firearm while committing a malicious wounding were nol prossed as part of the plea agreement.
Washburn will be sentenced after a pre-sentence investigation is conducted and a victim impact statement is filed. The sentencing will take place during a joint hearing in Alleghany County Circuit Court. Judge Trumbo said Washburn’s sentencing will be scheduled for the court’s next term this fall.
Police said Washburn abducted a woman in Clifton Forge at gunpoint the morning of Jan. 23 and later sexually assaulted her in a remote area of Botetourt County. Washburn was arrested Jan. 25 at the Clifton Forge Police Department.
The woman was abducted just before 10 a.m. on Jan. 23 outside an Alleghany County Community Services Board office on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Church Street in Clifton Forge.
The woman was in the parking lot when Washburn, armed with a weapon, forced her back into the car she was driving. Police said Washburn forced her to drive the Buick sedan to a remote area of Callie Mine Road on Iron Gate Hill in Botetourt County, and raped her. Police said Washburn punched the woman in the face. Clifton Forge Police Investigator Sgt. Ronnie Paxton said the woman suffered facial bruises, lacerations and a fractured orbit around one of her eyes.
“She was struck with a fist. She said he held the firearm and struck her with his fist,” Paxton said.
Following the sexual assault in Botetourt County, Washburn drove the woman to Verge Street, just outside the Clifton Forge town limits, and robbed her of $40 as he got out of the car.
Washburn then fled the scene and the woman drove back to Clifton Forge and called police. Clifton Forge police were notified at 11:45 a.m.
Washburn lived on Frazier Hill Lane in Clifton Forge, about one-half mile from the Verge Street area. Eyewitness placed a man matching Washburn’s description heading toward Frazier Hill Lane around the time the woman’s attacker got out of the car on Verge Street. Eyewitnesses also told police they saw a man matching Washburn’s description walking from Frazier Hill Lane toward the general area of the Community Services Board office before the abduction occurred.
Paxton said footprints found at the crime scene in Botetourt County matched boots that belong to Washburn. DNA samples taken from the victim also linked Washburn to the crime, Paxton said.
The victim and witnesses also identified Washburn from a photographic lineup of eight potential suspects.
A police K-9 unit also tracked Washburn’s scent from the place where he exited the victim’s car on Verge Street to his grandfather’s residence on Frazier Hill Lane.
Washburn and his attorney, Deborah Caldwell-Bono of Roanoke, reached the plea agreement with Stein and Branscom Saturday.