Richard Townes, Jr. v. Commonwealth of Virginia

Summary

The Supreme Court of Virginia affirmed Richard Townes' capital murder, robbery, and firearms convictions and his death sentence. The court held that Townes validly waived counsel under Faretta, that his statutory speedy trial right was not violated, that identification testimony was properly admitted, and that the evidence supported the convictions and the 'dangerousness' predicate for the death penalty. Unpreserved issues were barred by Rule 5:25's contemporaneous objection requirement, and the court found the death sentence neither imposed under passion or prejudice nor disproportionate.