Release Date: Monday, June 15, 2009 4 p.m.
Harvey L. Bryant, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach, announced today that Jerome Usher, 46 years old, pleaded guilty in the Circuit Court of Virginia Beach to one (1) count of 1st Degree Murder and one (1) count of 2nd Degree Murder. The Honorable Edward W. Hanson presided over today’s hearing. The defendant will be sentenced on September 23, 2009.
The Commonwealth’s evidence proved that on the afternoon of November 4, 2007, Jerome Usher parked outside a home on Polypine Drive in Virginia Beach where he believed his former girlfriend, Brenda Gregory Burnett was staying. After a couple of hours, Ms. Burnett arrived at the home with Mr. James Vass. Usher was permitted to enter the home and within a minute Ms. Burnett was pleading with the defendant not to hurt her. As Mr. Vass was attempting to call the police, Usher fatally stabbed him in the back with a six-inch hunting knife. He then stabbed Ms. Burnett ten separate times with this same knife resulting in her death.
Usher has a prior felony record that includes Use of a Firearm and Maiming in Newport News in 1997; Grand Larceny in Norfolk in 1998; Possession of a Weapon by a Felon, misdemeanor Trespassing in Norfolk in 2003; and Possession of Burglary Tools and Grand Larceny in Norfolk in 2004.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott M. Lang and Associate Commonwealth’s Attorney Eleanor J. Gaines. Please call Amanda Herman at 385-8641, if additional information is desired.
Similar Press Releases: Harvey Bryant, Murder
