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Commonwealth of Virginia v. Daniel Ricardo Lane Adams
Date: 02-11-2025
Case Number: 2208-23-1
Judge: A. Bonwell Shockley
Court: Circuit Court, City of Virginia Beach, Virgina
Plaintiff's Attorney: City of Virginia Beach Virginia Commonwealth Attorney's Officw
Defendant's Attorney: Click Here For The Best Virginia Beach Criminal Defense Lawyer Directory
Description:
Virginia Beach, Virginia criminal defense lawyer represent the defendant charged with rape.
In the final days of her junior year at Virginia Wesleyan University, E.R. attended an on-campus cookout hosted by a graduating senior. After consuming a few alcoholic seltzers, E.R. met Adams, who introduced himself as "DJ." Adams told her that he was a 23-year-old student at the Harvard Business School.[1] The two exchanged "Snapchat information."[2] E.R. then left the cookout to join some friends at her neighbor's house. While there, she smoked "two hits" of marijuana but did not drink any more alcohol.
When Adams appeared at that gathering, he and E.R. struck up a conversation and eventually left the party together. They walked to E.R.'s on-campus townhouse that she shared with a few housemates. Adams and E.R. engaged in consensual sex in her second-floor bedroom, but the sex was interrupted when E.R. received a FaceTime call from her sister.
After talking to her sister in the hallway, E.R. returned to the bedroom, where Adams was still in her bed. E.R. told Adams that she was not interested in intercourse. She said he could spend the night and the two could "just cuddle," "kiss," and "hold each other." The two began kissing, but Adams took things further. He got on top of E.R. and "started touching [her] body" like "he was going to have sex with [her]." E.R. told him, "I don't want to have sex. I'm too tired."
Adams paused momentarily but was undeterred. He "grabbed [E.R.'s] legs harder," "pushed them open," and "pushed" his penis inside her vagina. Adams was rough and violent. He held her hands above her head in "an X shape," crossed at the wrists, while he penetrated her. At times, he choked her with one hand while squeezing her wrists together with the other. His thrusts were "so hard" that they made her head repeatedly hit the headboard. No pillow was there to cushion the blows. The intercourse was entirely different from the consensual sex before. E.R. lay frozen in fear. She "was groaning in pain," but with Adams squeezing her throat, she could not scream and could only barely breathe. Finally, after ejaculating inside her, Adams rolled over and fell asleep.
The Defendant was found guilty.
* * *
Legal issue Did the trial court err in its jury selection process and in providing jury instructions on force and consent during a rape trial?
Headnote
CRIMINAL LAW. JURY SELECTION. The case involves an appellate review of a trial court's decisions during voir dire, specifically regarding the striking of one juror for cause and the retention of another, addressing issues of juror bias and impartiality.
CRIMINAL LAW. JURY INSTRUCTIONS. The appeal challenges the adequacy and correctness of two jury instructions related to the use of force and the concept of consent in a rape case, considering whether these instructions accurately reflect legal standards and were supported by evidence.
CRIMINAL LAW. SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE. The appeal questions whether the prosecution provided sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed rape using both actual and constructive force, focusing on the victim's lack of consent and the defendant's conduct.
Key Phrases Rape conviction. Jury selection. Jury instructions. Constructive force. Consent and mental state.
In the final days of her junior year at Virginia Wesleyan University, E.R. attended an on-campus cookout hosted by a graduating senior. After consuming a few alcoholic seltzers, E.R. met Adams, who introduced himself as "DJ." Adams told her that he was a 23-year-old student at the Harvard Business School.[1] The two exchanged "Snapchat information."[2] E.R. then left the cookout to join some friends at her neighbor's house. While there, she smoked "two hits" of marijuana but did not drink any more alcohol.
When Adams appeared at that gathering, he and E.R. struck up a conversation and eventually left the party together. They walked to E.R.'s on-campus townhouse that she shared with a few housemates. Adams and E.R. engaged in consensual sex in her second-floor bedroom, but the sex was interrupted when E.R. received a FaceTime call from her sister.
After talking to her sister in the hallway, E.R. returned to the bedroom, where Adams was still in her bed. E.R. told Adams that she was not interested in intercourse. She said he could spend the night and the two could "just cuddle," "kiss," and "hold each other." The two began kissing, but Adams took things further. He got on top of E.R. and "started touching [her] body" like "he was going to have sex with [her]." E.R. told him, "I don't want to have sex. I'm too tired."
Adams paused momentarily but was undeterred. He "grabbed [E.R.'s] legs harder," "pushed them open," and "pushed" his penis inside her vagina. Adams was rough and violent. He held her hands above her head in "an X shape," crossed at the wrists, while he penetrated her. At times, he choked her with one hand while squeezing her wrists together with the other. His thrusts were "so hard" that they made her head repeatedly hit the headboard. No pillow was there to cushion the blows. The intercourse was entirely different from the consensual sex before. E.R. lay frozen in fear. She "was groaning in pain," but with Adams squeezing her throat, she could not scream and could only barely breathe. Finally, after ejaculating inside her, Adams rolled over and fell asleep.
The Defendant was found guilty.
* * *
Legal issue Did the trial court err in its jury selection process and in providing jury instructions on force and consent during a rape trial?
Headnote
CRIMINAL LAW. JURY SELECTION. The case involves an appellate review of a trial court's decisions during voir dire, specifically regarding the striking of one juror for cause and the retention of another, addressing issues of juror bias and impartiality.
CRIMINAL LAW. JURY INSTRUCTIONS. The appeal challenges the adequacy and correctness of two jury instructions related to the use of force and the concept of consent in a rape case, considering whether these instructions accurately reflect legal standards and were supported by evidence.
CRIMINAL LAW. SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE. The appeal questions whether the prosecution provided sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed rape using both actual and constructive force, focusing on the victim's lack of consent and the defendant's conduct.
Key Phrases Rape conviction. Jury selection. Jury instructions. Constructive force. Consent and mental state.
Outcome:
Affirmed
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments:
About This Case
What was the outcome of Commonwealth of Virginia v. Daniel Ricardo Lane Adams?
The outcome was: Affirmed
Which court heard Commonwealth of Virginia v. Daniel Ricardo Lane Adams?
This case was heard in Circuit Court, City of Virginia Beach, Virgina, VA. The presiding judge was A. Bonwell Shockley.
Who were the attorneys in Commonwealth of Virginia v. Daniel Ricardo Lane Adams?
Plaintiff's attorney: City of Virginia Beach Virginia Commonwealth Attorney's Officw. Defendant's attorney: Click Here For The Best Virginia Beach Criminal Defense Lawyer Directory.
When was Commonwealth of Virginia v. Daniel Ricardo Lane Adams decided?
This case was decided on February 11, 2025.