Brenda Spry

Brenda Spry is a judge for the Third Circuit of Virginia. She previously served as the chief public defender for the Portsmouth, Virginia office of the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission.

Early life and education Spry attended Old Dominion University, receiving a degree in criminal justice. She then attended William & Mary Law School, receiving a Juris Doctor. Prior to Underwood's death, Spry had been the chief deputy public defender in the office. In 1998, Spry represented Elton Jackson, a suspected serial killer in the Hampton Roads region. Prosecutor Brandon Wrobleski filed a complaint against Spry for her handling of the case of Will Patterson Jr., a teenager who was accused of attempting to murder a Portsmouth police officer in November 2017. Spry stated that her office, which represented Patterson, was made aware of his incompetency to stand trial and mental health issues after he was found guilty in April 2018 but prior to his sentencing. The charges were announced by the police department one day prior to a special legislative session which pushed for policing reform. The judge, Claire G. Cardwell, found that police went around prosecutors to file charges and attempted to prevent Morales from prosecuting the case by subpoenaing her as a witness. Police Chief Angela Greene was fired shortly before the dismissal of the charges.

On January 26, 2021, Spry was appointed to the Virginia Circuit Court in Portsmouth by the Virginia General Assembly for an eight-year term beginning on February 16, 2021. She was elected by the 100-member Virginia House of Delegates with only a 51-vote majority. Republican Todd Gilbert was one of the only Republicans to vote for Spry. In the Virginia Senate, Spry received 33 votes. Most Republicans did not vote at all, and two delegates from each party abstained.