PORTSMOUTH
Brenda C. Spry, who joined the public defender's office 18 years ago, has been chosen to lead it.
Spry, 46, replaces the late John H. "Jay" Underwood III, who became Portsmouth's first public defender 22 years ago.
Spry served as acting public defender during the last months of Underwood's battle with cancer. He died in March.
The new public defender, who has described Underwood as a longtime friend and mentor, began her law career in the Portsmouth office, which defends indigents charged with jailable offenses. She had been the deputy public defender for about 15 years and served as acting public defender in Suffolk in 2006.
A Virginia Beach native, Spry holds a criminal justice degree from Old Dominion University and a law degree from the College of William and Mary.
The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission, which oversees public defender offices in the state, appointed Spry to her new post.
Spry, who heads a staff of 17 lawyers, said Joyce Weddle has been promoted to senior deputy public defender.
Janie Bryant, (757) 446-2453, janie.bryant@pilotonline.com
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Hey Portsmouth City Council, take a lesson here
The Public Defender's Office relied on an internal manager, with long term experience in her office, to step up and take the reigns when she was needed. Her abilities proven, she was the natural selection to assume the top job in the office. Now apply this ideology to your police department, which I am certain has several command worthy managers already in place, ready to step up to the responsibilities of being Chief. No need to waste more time and money looking outside when your solution is right there on Crawford Parkway. Your city already knows what to expect when you hire externally, and the citizens of Portsmouth deserve better.