Archie Elliott Jr.
Archie Elliott Jr. | |
|---|---|
.jpg?lang=en) Elliott holds up a picture of his son, Archie Elliott III, during the National Emergency March for Justice Against Police Brutality in April 1999 | |
| General District Court Judge | |
| In office 1974–2006 | |
| Personal details | |
| Spouse | Dorothy Copp (div.) |
| Children | 1 |
| Residence | Portsmouth, Virginia |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Judge, General District Court |
Archie Elliot Jr. is an African-American retired judge and lawyer from Portsmouth, Virginia. He served as a judge in the Portsmouth General District Court from 1974 until 2006.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Elliott attended the historically black Virginia State University in the 1960s.[2] After graduating, Elliott served in the military during the Vietnam War.[2] After the death of Martin Luther King Jr., Elliot left his position as Assistant Provost Marshal at Fort Bragg in order to attend law school with the goal of becoming a civil rights lawyer.[2][3] He attended the predominantly black North Carolina Central University School of Law.[2]
Career
[edit]Following his graduation from law school, Elliott established a law firm in Portsmouth, Virginia.[2] He was the first black attorney in the city in twenty-five years.[2] Elliott served on the Portsmouth City Council.[2] In 1974, Elliott became a judge in the Portsmouth General District Court.[1]
In 2004, Elliott believed himself to be due for a term as chief judge.[1] The position was generally rotated among jurists.[1] Instead, Morton Whitlow was elected to another term of chief judge.[1] Elliott wrote letters following the decision, claiming that racism was a factor in the decision, as both of the other general district court judges were white.[1] The two judges took Elliott's letter as a threat and filed complaints with the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission.[1] Elliott was accused of lying to defendants about a "DEA light," which he told them could deterine if they had recently used drugs.[1] The judges had been previously visited by Virginia Supreme Court justice Leroy R. Hassell Sr., who encouraged them to work out their differences.[4] Judge Whitlow requested a bulletproof vest from the state due to the threats, and his request was granted.[1] On August 26, 2004, the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission suspended Elliott for an investigation into the allegations.[4] Elliott remained suspended from the bench for nearly two years.[1][5] Elliott issued apology letters to Whitlow and others.[1] A minority of the Virginia Supreme Court found Elliott's actions worthy of official sanctions.[1] The court instead ordered Elliott to be reinstated for one day and asked that he retire on June 30, 2006.[1][5][6] Police and deputies filled his courtroom on his last day and gave him a standing ovation.[5]
In 2007, Elliott began serving as assistant chief for the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia.[5]
Personal life
[edit]Elliott met Dorothy Copp at Virginia State University in the 1960s.[2] Their son, Archie Elliott III, was born on December 8, 1968.[3][7][2] Elliott and Copp divorced while Elliott III was still young.[8] Elliott Jr. stayed in Portsmouth to pursue his legal career, and Elliott III moved with Dorothy to the Washington, D.C. area to be closer to Dorothy's side of the family.[3] Elliott III spent most of his childhood with his mother in Forestville, Maryland, seeing his father once a month.[3] He lived with his father in Portsmouth for the last two years of high school.[3] On June 18, 1993, Archie Elliott III was shot and killed by police officers while handcuffed in police cruiser.[3] Since then, Elliott has been engaged in activism related to his son's death.[3]
Elliott is close friends with Johnny E. Morrison.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Doucette, John-Henry (August 8, 2019). "Suspended Portsmouth judge set for brief return to bench". Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Say Their Name: The Story of Archie ("Artie") Elliott III". DCP Entertainment. November 13, 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Harris, Hamil R. (June 22, 2023). "30 Years Later, Dorothy Elliott Still Fighting for Justice for Her Son". The Washington Inquirer. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ a b Baldewin, Brent (September 13, 2004). "Portsmouth GDC Judge Elliott Suspended Pending Investigation". Virginia Lawyers Weekly. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d Doucette, John (June 18, 2007). "Whatever happened to … traffic court judge suspended amid scandal". Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ "Portsmouth's Judge Elliott to retire at end of month". Virginia Lawyers Weekly. June 26, 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ Kashino, Marisa M. (September 6, 2020). "Police Killed These Seven Washingtonians. Here Are Their Stories, and the Family Left Behind". Washingtonian. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ a b Schneider, Greg (June 25, 1993). "JUDGE NOW WANTS JUSTICE IN SON'S DEATH". The Roanoake Times. Retrieved 2 May 2025.