Inmate Informants Could Be Key to Severance Trial

Inmate informants may play a critical role in the trial of Charles Severance, who is charged with the murders of three prominent people from Alexandria, a new court filing indicates.

The filing by prosecutors says Severance was housed with four men during his stay at Loudoun County's adult detention center.

The prosecutor says that Severance "intimated to one of these individuals that he committed the murders in the case and provided corroborating details on one of the three homicides," according to the court filing.

The filing also claims Severance talked about firearms and about his hatred of the judicial system.

Defense attorneys have filed a motion asking for more details about what the Severance cellmates had to say. They've claimed Severance is innocent and that his mental illness and paranoia made him the target of unfounded suspicions.

A response from prosecutors says they have turned over all relevant information about the four inmates to the defense, including notes from police interviews with the men. They also turned over a letter seized from one of the inmates.

The prosecution also notes that the defense sometimes referred to the men as "snitches" in their court motion. Prosecutors asked that the defense only use the term "informant."

Fairfax County Circuit Judge Randy Bellows will hear arguments on the latest round of motions Sept. 17. Severance's trial begins Oct. 5.

Contact Us