Frank Bush being sworn is as the new Tucker County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney by the Honorable Judge Lynn Nelson
By Heather Clower
The Parsons Advocate
The Honorable Judge Lynn Nelson was scheduled to oversee some abuse and neglect cases; however, the defense attorney of Charles Wolfe requested his client be added to the docket. Wolfe, incarcerated for burglary, kidnapping, strangulation, third degree domestic battery, and attempted murder, all felonies, was offered a plea agreement. In front of Judge Nelson, Wolfe plead guilty to three of the felony charges, which were strangulation, entering without breaking, and domestic in the third degree.
Wolfe is currently incarcerated on charges obtained in Grant County, and is requesting the sentencing be run concurrent. However, Prosecuting Attorney Ray LaMora is seeking the court to require the sentences be served consecutively. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the Probation Office performs a Pre-Sentencing Investigation and reports their findings to the court.
In other court news, LaMora has been seeking and advertising for an assistant prosecuting attorney to aid in his case load. During Circuit Court session, Judge Nelson swore in the new Tucker County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Frank Bush. Being admitted as an attorney in 1991, Bush relocated to Elkins to join a local law firm in 1992. His focus during his tenure there was primarily personal injury cases. In 1998, he began taking on court appointed cases in the abuse and neglect as well as the criminal status sector of law.
In 2005, Bush was elected as the Randolph County Prosecuting Attorney, where he served until he decided to run for judge in Randolph County, which deemed unsuccessful. Upon the election results, Bush decided to return to his private practice of law. “I’m at the stage of my practice where I want to dwindle down,” Bush stated. “I just felt like it was a good fit.”
Now that Bush has been sworn in by Judge Lynn Nelson, he had to reassign his current defense cases to other attorneys, which he noted has equaled approximately twenty clients. “Mr. LaMora and I have a mutual respect for each other,” he said, even though they have always been on opposing sides. I’m just so impressed with the Tucker County Courthouse staff, the law enforcement, and the judges,” Bush added, “They are so dedicated and they’ve all just made me feel really welcome.”
LaMora and Bush appeared for the first time as a team on Friday, July 12. LaMora stated, “Frank is a well respected member of the West Virginia State Bar and a very experienced attorney who has practiced in the area for a long time. His prior experience as a prosecuting attorney is going to allow him to jump right into some of the cases here.” LaMora continued, “When methamphetamine hit this region it hit hard, beyond what the public sees just in the increase in criminal cases, but our abuse and neglect as well as our juvenile case loads have increased drastically. Having an experienced attorney to help out with that increased caseload is going to allow us to focus on our back log of cases.” “We are really excited to have him joining us and we plan to continue to work hard for the citizens of Tucker County.”
