A circuit judge on Friday dismissed the case to remove Martinsville Mayor L.C. Jones from office, ruling that a citizens’ petition filed against Jones did not include the legally required percentage of signatures.
Judge Marcus Brinks, after ruling in Jones’ favor, awarded $40,000 in attorneys’ fees to Jones’ lawyers and to the special prosecutor, Colonial Heights Commonwealth’s Attorney Alfred Gray Collins III.
The city is liable for those fees.
There were 401 valid signatures in a petition that Martinsville resident Patti Covington filed in January, lawyers on both sides agreed. According to state law, such petitions require signatures from 10% of those who voted in the most recent election for a position. Mark Krudys, one of Jones’ representatives, argued in court on Friday that 6,818 votes were cast in November 2022, when Jones won his seat.
The signatures on the petition were 280 short of the 681 the law required, Krudys argued, citing the Virginia Elections Database.
Special prosecutor Gray Collins conceded that point with a billiards reference.
“We’re behind the eight ball here,” Collins told the court.
Covington said after the hearing that the city registrar had told her that she needed 375 signatures.
A Virginia State Police investigation into city spending during the tenure of Martinsville’s former city manager, Aretha Ferrell-Benavides, is ongoing. Martinsville City Attorney Patrick Flinn has said that the investigation was tied to the removal case against the mayor.
The petition to recall Jones accused the mayor of bribery, failure to disqualify himself from certain transactions, failure to disclose an alleged conflict of interest, and neglect of ministerial duties and incompetence under Virginia law.
Jones, who has not been charged criminally, has denied any wrongdoing.
Standing outside the Martinsville Municipal Building with his lawyers and some supporters afterward, Jones said he was not worried about the state police investigation. He declined to comment on whether he might pursue his own civil remedy related to the petition.
“Today was a good day for me, and it’s been a long time coming,” Jones said. “I’m going on vacation. My focus is on turning the page.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
