Lawyer Named For Defendant In City Slaying
Posted: January 30, 2013
HARRISONBURG — After failing to hire an attorney, murder defendant Dallas Chaplin returned to Rockingham County General District Court on Tuesday to ask a judge to appoint one.
Chaplin, 19, of Staunton, is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Ben Graessle, a 2011 Spotswood High School graduate. Chaplin also faces a charge of felony use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
If convicted on the murder charge, he faces up to life in prison.
During the hearing, Judge Richard Claybrook appointed attorney Bill Eldridge to represent Chaplin.
Eldridge declined to comment.
Chaplin is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing Feb. 7.
Police say Chaplin shot and killed Graessle around 1 a.m. on Dec. 23 outside an apartment building where the victim lived at The Commons, located in the 800 block of Port Republic Road in Harrisonburg.
Harrisonburg police issued a warrant for his arrest on Dec. 26. He was captured the next day at a home in Staunton following a three-hour standoff with police.
A co-defendant, Givi Dudunia, 19, also is scheduled for a court hearing Feb. 7.
Police say he hid the alleged shooter and the suspected murder weapon at his home on Terrace Street in Staunton.
Dudunia is charged with misdemeanor accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and misdemeanor accessory after the fact to felony use of a firearm in commission of a felony.
Chaplin and Dudunia are being held in Rockingham County Jail without bond.
Contact Pete DeLea at 574-6278 or pdelea@dnronline.com
Chaplin, 19, of Staunton, is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Ben Graessle, a 2011 Spotswood High School graduate. Chaplin also faces a charge of felony use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
If convicted on the murder charge, he faces up to life in prison.
During the hearing, Judge Richard Claybrook appointed attorney Bill Eldridge to represent Chaplin.
Eldridge declined to comment.
Chaplin is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing Feb. 7.
Police say Chaplin shot and killed Graessle around 1 a.m. on Dec. 23 outside an apartment building where the victim lived at The Commons, located in the 800 block of Port Republic Road in Harrisonburg.
Harrisonburg police issued a warrant for his arrest on Dec. 26. He was captured the next day at a home in Staunton following a three-hour standoff with police.
A co-defendant, Givi Dudunia, 19, also is scheduled for a court hearing Feb. 7.
Police say he hid the alleged shooter and the suspected murder weapon at his home on Terrace Street in Staunton.
Dudunia is charged with misdemeanor accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and misdemeanor accessory after the fact to felony use of a firearm in commission of a felony.
Chaplin and Dudunia are being held in Rockingham County Jail without bond.
Contact Pete DeLea at 574-6278 or pdelea@dnronline.com