With Defense Counsel Cited, If Not Finally Confirmed, December 9 Set for Final Llewellyns Pre-trial Hearing

Warren County Circuit Court Judge Daryl Funk continued the November 12th, 9 a.m. docket hearing of Ron and Corinne Lewellyn to 1:30 p.m. that day when one of the attorneys the couple named as tentatively acquired defense counsel would be in court to confirm his involvement. That attorney was Ryan Nuzzo, cited by Ron Llewellyn as his pending attorney.

And upon post lunchbreak readjournment, Nuzzo was present. Following Commonwealth Attorney John Bell’s request the court insert the Llewellyn matter during a pause in citing Grand Jury indictment cases for action, Nuzzo confirmed ongoing contact with Ron Llewellyn. He told the court it was “vey much” likely he would be joining the Llewellyn defense team.

Corrine’s attorney was identified as Harrisonburg-based Andrew Graves. Due to the nature of the large and overlapping number of financial indictments against the couple (55 against Ron, 28 against Corinne) dating to transactions back over a decade, December 2011 was cited in one indictment, the couple must retain separate defense counsel.

With two attorneys identified as all-but-finally confirmed defense counsel for the Llewellyns, Judge Funk set a hearing date of December 9, at 9 a.m., “to set a trial date” or discuss “for the last time” getting their defense counsel in place.

Ron and Corinne Llewellyn continue to seek financial retention of defense counsel in the criminal indictments against them related to Corinne’s siblings’ civil actions related to their mother’s finances. The couple will be back in the WC Courthouse on December 9, hopefully with attorneys to set a trial date. Royal Examiner File Photos Roger Bianchini

The Llewellyns’ November 12 preliminary hearing had been continued from October 15 due to financial issues preventing acquisition of a loan to pay for the securing of defense counsel for the couple. The issue was created by an unresolved insurance claim for damage done to their Rose Hill Estate home by a wind-related August 9 storm downing of a tree on their home. Estimates have taken the potential cost of a two-pronged defense team for such a case to six figures.

In denying longer continuances to allow the Llewellyns to get the financing in place to secure legal representation, Judge Funk has noted while they may have a cash flow problem toward the necessary legal expenses, the couples’ assets include millions of dollars in real estate holdings. The judge has suggested they move on the sale of at least a piece of that property in order to get their defense team in place. The couple has strongly asserted their innocence in the cases brought against them, so it appears unlikely a plea agreement would resolve this legal situation.

As previously reported the former Warren County supervisor and EDA board member and his wife were charged on multiple indictments regarding the movement of money from Corinne’s mother, Mrs. Jane White’s, account. For an extended period of time Mrs. White lived with the Llewellyn’s on the family’s Rose Hill Estate in Front Royal.

Also as previously reported, the Warren County Grand Jury criminal indictments appear to have been fueled by civil litigations brought by Corinne’s sister and brother filed several years ago in Frederick County, where the siblings’ mother was moved some time ago into an Assisted Living facility. Court records indicate a number of those civil cases were either non-suited by the complainant or settled out of court, with a few being determined by judicial rulings. According to Ron the bulk of those civil case judicial rulings were made in favor of he and his wife. One that wasn’t is on appeal in the Virginia Appeals Court system, the couple has noted.