Release Date: Monday, March 15, 2010 4 p.m.
Harvey L. Bryant, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach, announced today that Charles Lorenzo Butler, 26 years old, formerly residing in the 5500 block of Baccalaureate Drive located in the City of Virginia Beach, was found guilty by a jury of First Degree Murder, Attempted First Degree Murder and two (2) counts of Use of A Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. The jury recommended that Butler be sentenced to 41 years on the charge of First Degree Murder, 5 years on the charge of Attempted Second Degree Murder, and a total of 8 years on the two firearms charges, for a total sentence of 54 years.
At trial the Commonwealth’s evidence proved that on January 15, 2007, Butler and his co-defendant, Steven Alexander Breaux, were patrons at Ocean’s Cabaret located in the 400 block of Oceana Boulevard. After spending some time at the club, Butler and Breaux began harassing an off-duty waitress. Both were asked to leave the club. Club security, patrons, and an off-duty Portsmouth sheriff’s deputy followed Butler and Breaux out into the parking lot where words were exchanged. Breaux pulled out a handgun and shot Mark Van Horn in the head, killing him. Butler then pulled his own gun and both began running while shooting into a crowd of people who were leaving the establishment. One of these people, Michael Porter, was struck twice and died at the scene. The sheriff’s deputy managed to retrieve his service weapon from his vehicle and identified himself as a law enforcement officer. Once the deputy identified himself, both Butler and Breaux began shooting at him from both sides of the van they were attempting to flee in. After a brief exchange of gunfire, Butler and Breaux then quickly fled the parking lot into a wooded area at the rear of the club where they were apprehended by Virginia Beach Police officers and K-9 units. Three firearms used by both Butler and Breaux were recovered from the woods where they had been hiding and all three were forensically linked to the shootings in the Ocean’s Cabaret parking lot. Tests revealed that Butler had gunshot residue on his hand.
A separate jury convicted Breaux on February 16, 2010, and set his sentence at 93 years. “It is very frustrating that murder cases are taking so long to get to trial”, Bryant said. “These convictions and sentences bring a measure of justice and relief to the victim’s families, but the delays prolonged their anxiety. As I have said before, Virginia needs a Victim’s Speedy Trial Act. How many guilty defendants and their lawyers are in a hurry to get to trial?”
Butler has previous convictions for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession of a Schedule I or II Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana, Illegal Possession of Alcohol, Assault and Disorderly Conduct.
Associate Commonwealth’s Attorneys Vena J. Sanders and Joseph Dinonno prosecuted the case. Please call Julie Pickell if additional information is desired.
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