Pubdate: Wed, 12 Sep 2007
Source: Martinsville Bulletin (VA)
Copyright: 2007 Martinsville Bulletin
Contact:  http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2003
Author: Amanda Buck, Bulletin, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

FRIENDS RALLY FOR CASSELL

ROANOKE -- About a dozen family members and at least 40 friends, 
neighbors and church members packed into a crowded courtroom here 
Tuesday to show their support for former Henry County sheriff H. Frank Cassell.

After U.S. District Judge James C. Turk sentenced Cassell to eight 
months in prison and a $15,000 fine for making a false statement to a 
federal agent, supporters crowded around him and his wife Margaret, 
offering hugs and handshakes. Outside the courtroom, several wiped 
away tears as they discussed the judge's decision.

Olaf Hurd of Ridgeway, who has known Cassell since the 1960s, said 
the sentence, which fell within the government's guidelines, would 
have been more lenient if Turk knew the Cassell he knows.

"The judge didn't know Frank," Hurd said. "His men let him down. The 
only thing he's guilty of is being too good to his men."

It was a statement that echoed what Cassell's attorney, John 
Lichtenstein, said in court. He depicted Cassell, 69, as a 
compassionate man who was all but trapped by James Vaught, a former 
deputy who came to him for help. Vaught, who was working as a 
government informant, persuaded Cassell to help him secure a loan so 
Vaught could launder thousands of dollars in what he said was drug 
money, Lichtenstein said.

Cassell later lied to an FBI agent when he denied knowing how Vaught 
got the money.

Although what Cassell did was wrong, he did it not for personal gain 
but because he wanted to help a man who had fallen on hard times, 
Lichtenstein argued.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Bondurant disagreed, saying Vaught did 
not "bamboozle" Cassell with a sob story; instead, the sheriff 
volunteered to be a spy for Vaught.

"He agreed to make sure a drug dealer would not get caught," the 
prosecutor said.

Hurd, for one, was not persuaded.

"He's a kind man who always wanted to help any way he could," he said.

His wife, Jackie Hurd, agreed.

"You can take a $1,000 bill and stomp on it and tear it, but people 
will still want it," she said. "He's (Cassell) been stomped on, but 
he's still the wonderful man that we know. He's going to come through 
this and come out victorious."

Like the Hurds, many who made the trip to Roanoke are members of 
Cassell's church, Hillcrest Baptist. Deacon Ken Engle and his wife, 
Donna, were among the supporters.

Ken Engle said Cassell's sentence was too much and he should have not 
received any jail time because of the way the investigation against 
him was conducted.

"He was set up," Ken Engle said.

The Engles said they had hoped Cassell would receive a suspended sentence.

In addition to church members, neighbors and friends, other 
supporters included Cassell's five sisters, two daughters, a niece 
and other relatives. They declined to comment about the case.

Although the majority of those in the courtroom seemed to support 
Cassell, not everyone was sympathetic. Former Henry County sheriff 
James Rogers said he had hoped Cassell would receive a stiffer 
sentence than the judge handed down.

"I'll tell you my opinion of Cassell. He's a disgrace to law 
enforcement," Rogers said. " ... I think it's really sad that public 
trust" was broken.

Nevertheless, Rogers said he was "satisfied" with the sentence.

"I think justice has been served," he said.

Joe Francis, a retired Virginia state trooper, spoke on Cassell's 
behalf during Tuesday's hearing. He testified that Cassell saved his 
life after he was stabbed during an arrest in 1969.

After hearing the judge's decision, Francis could not say whether he 
thought it was appropriate.

"I haven't made up my mind yet," he said.
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