Gang Law and Trends in Virginia (Online Seminar)

A pre-recorded streaming video replay of the April 2019 webcast, Gang Law and Trends in Virginia.

Certain gangs are always in the headlines nowadays, but there are many different kinds of gangs across the state that vary greatly by region. They range from international-based street gangs to traditional territorial gangs to motorcycle gangs, as well as local and hybrid gangs. Meanwhile, gang laws are complicated by First Amendment considerations such as the freedom of association and freedom of assembly.

Please join us to learn about general gang trends, as well as trends within specific gangs. Hear from an experienced prosecutor and defense attorney on the front lines of gang cases. Explore different strategies for these types of cases based on real world examples, and come away with a better understanding of the world of gangs and the legal framework in which their criminal cases are litigated.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Manuel E. Leiva, The Leiva Law Firm, P.L.C. / Fairfax

Manuel E. Leiva received both his undergraduate degree and J.D. from American University. After law school, he served as an Assistant Public Defender in Fairfax County before joining a litigation law firm. Since entering practice, Mr. Leiva has handled all types of gang-related cases ranging from aggravated malicious wounding by mob, gang participation/recruitment, and murder. He has handled several RICO murder cases in the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia involving members of MS-13. Mr. Leiva is a past president of the Hispanic Bar Association of Virginia, is a former board member on the Virginia State Bar's Criminal Law Section, served on the Virginia Indigent Commission's Criminal Discovery Reform Task Force, is a former board member on the Virginia State Bar's Diversity Conference, served on the Virginia Bar Association's Professionalism committee, and has served on various judicial screening committees. 

D. Bradley Marshall, Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney's Office / Manassas

Bradley Marshall has served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Prince William County since 2009, where he specializes in prosecuting criminal street gang cases, violent crimes, firearms offenses, and mental health related cases. He is the Immediate Past-President of the Prince William County Bar Association, President of the PWC Bar Foundation, and the Chairman of the local Community Criminal Justice Board. He is heavily involved in criminal justice reform at the local and state level, and also serves on the Virginia Pretrial Advisory Committee. Mr. Marshall serves on the Virginia State Bar Special Committee on Bench-Bar Relations and the VSB Carrico Professionalism Course Faculty. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, and his juris doctorate degree from Michigan State University. He was awarded the PWC County Executive Award in 2015, named to the inaugural class of Virginia Lawyers Weekly's "Up and Coming Lawyers" in 2016, and was awarded the 2017 Pro Bono/Volunteer Attorney of the Year by the PWC Bar Association. Mr. Marshall has taught CLEs for the Virginia State Bar’s Annual Criminal Law Seminar, the Prince William County Bar Association, the Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Services Council, and Virginia CLE^®, and has lectured at the PWC Criminal Justice Academy, George Mason University, and Northern Virginia Community College. Past CLE presentations include criminal street gang law, tactical and ethical issues with cooperating codefendants, drug courts, mental health dockets, ethics in representing the mentally ill, search and seizure, and immigration consequences in criminal cases.