Inmate wanted a judge killed, detective says

By Kristin Davis

VIRGINIA BEACH

An inmate promised to deliver the $5,000 he was offering in a murder-for-hire plot against a judge after the job was done and he was released from jail, a police detective testified Tuesday during a preliminary hearing in General District Court.

Detective H.W. Schafer said he posed as a bail bondsman when he met with David Hugh Hance, 37, inside the Virginia Beach Correctional Center on Dec. 7.

Hance said he wanted Circuit Judge Les Lilley dead for rejecting a plea agreement on an attempted bank robbery charge, Schafer said.

Hance is accused of trying to rob a bank when in the presence of two police officers. A court document in the murder-for-hire case said Hance offered $50,000, but Tuesday's testimony was different.

The detective asked Hance how and when he wanted the judge killed.

"He stated he wanted him shot... whenever I had time," Schafer testified.

The detective said when he asked for half the money upfront, Hance said it was "tied up overseas."

Two days later, Detective J.F. Allen interviewed Hance about the allegation at police headquarters. Allen testified Hance admitted to approaching another inmate about the murder-for-hire.

Hance wore an orange jail jumpsuit and handcuffs and leaned against the judge's bench during most of the brief hearing. He told Judge Merlin M. Renne he planned to represent himself.

When asked whether he had any questions for the detectives, Hance replied, "Nope."

Special prosecutor D.J. Hansen from Chesapeake asked Renne to send the case to a grand jury.

Hance again said "nope" when asked whether he wanted to make any argument.

Renne agreed with Hansen.

A grand jury Monday will determine whether the case should be sent to trial.

Kristin Davis, 757-222-5131, kristin.davis@pilotonline.com