Mayor hopeful vows to keep campaigning amid sex allegations

Source: Associated Press

Updated 2:56 pm, Saturday, October 29, 2016

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Richmond mayoral candidate and ex-Virginia lawmaker who was jailed last year in a sex scandal involving a 17-year-old girl vowed Saturday to continue campaigning after being accused of making sexual advances and sending explicit text messages to a former legal client.

Kanika Shani Morris told The Richmond Times Dispatch (http://bit.ly/2f2ZdKD ) that Joe Morrissey exposed himself to her in his law office and sent her lewd text messages. Morris told the newspaper that Morrissey gave her case to another attorney in his firm when she refused his advances, and that attorney pressured her into pleading guilty to failing to return a rental car.

Morris was released from jail Thursday after a Henrico County judge took the unusual step of allowing her to withdraw her guilty plea. Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor and Henrico police say they are investigating the matter.

Morrissey has said he sent "flirtatious" text messages to Morris, but denies doing anything inappropriate.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Ex-client-of-mayoral-hopeful-says-he-pressured-10422171.php