Judge hears more motions ahead of Robert E. Lee statue trial

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Charlottesville is just weeks away from the trial that will determine the fate of the Robert E. Lee statue.

The plan right now is for the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, which has possession of the statue, to melt it down and turn it into public art. But the Trevilian and Ratcliffe Foundations don’t want that to happen, and are suing the city to stop the Center.

On Monday, January 9, the judge heard more motions in Charlottesville Circuit Court. The judge said he wants a trial and will not dismiss the case. He also dismissed one of three counts in the lawsuit and four expert witnesses that would testify on statue damage costs.

“I’m not going to comment about the present condition of the statue,” Attorney for the JSAAHC, Christopher Tate, said. “We remain confident in our legal position on the counts that remain and we will be preparing for trial on the first.”

The Foundations’ attorneys did not provide comment after the hearing.

The trial is set for February 1.

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