NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A man who admitted to killing two men in August 2019 was granted a conditional release.
Darrell Chaney Jr., 42, is out a “conditional release,” according to Newport News Circuit Court documents.
In 2019, Chaney was arrested in connection to a double homicide at the former Dunn’s River Jamaican Caribbean restaurant in Newport News. Police identified the two men as 55-year-old Akhi Ar-Rad Abdul Haqq Murad and 62-year-old Barrington Anthony Brown.
Earlier that same year in March 2019, Chaney was charged with aggravated assault in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Chaney was granted bond in June 2019.
In 2020, Chaney was found not guilty by reason of insanity in Newport News Circuit Court. Around this time, the families of the men created a change.org petition calling for “justice for the murders at Dunn’s River Restaurant.” The petition gathered 335 signatures.
Court documents obtained by 10 On Your Side’s Investigations team outline the terms of the ‘conditional release’ as Chaney cannot leave the state of Virginia without permission from the court, use alcohol or drugs (unless prescribed). He must notify authorities of upcoming court dates for the “outstanding criminal matter in the state of Tennessee.”
The court ordered Chaney to “gradually transition” from a supportive living campus. He is allowed to visit family overnight on weekends for no longer then 48 hours. After six months, he will transition to on campus apartments with supervision and medication administered. Eventually, Chaney is allowed to move into his own apartment with weekly visits from officials.
“Mr. Chaney has advanced through the gradual release privileging process with no major issues or concerns and his compliance with treatment has been consistent. Mr. Chaney has remained medication compliant and receptive to treatment throughout his hospitalization and has not presented with any behavioral issues. He has faced challenges with obtaining employment, not being able to pursue his goal of attending barbering school, and limitations to where he can live in certain areas of Virginia, but he did not allow these barriers to deter him. He sought out other available options with no setbacks in his treatment. With the appropriate community supports, resources and monitoring, it is believed that Mr. Chaney has the ability to be successful on conditional release.
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The family of Akhi Ar-Rad Abdul Haqq Murad contacted 10 On Your Side via email following an April 12 hearing. Murad’s family is “dissatisfied” after learning that Chaney received a conditional release.
“Our family needs to be heard,” said Venus Sanders, Murad’s sister.
Murad was a “good person, a good man, a family man, a father. He was God fearing and he was a beacon of light. He helped and ministered to people,” said Lisa McLaurin, Murad’s sister. “What you’re saying is their people’s lives had no value and they had no meaning, and that’s not true. Our family members’ lives did have value. They did have meaning. He took away father, husbands, sons, brothers, uncles. He took away people that were loved and that are very much missed.”
Sanders and McLaurin believe they were misled by the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office ahead of the hearing, as they were unaware of Chaney’s current status and disagreed with the judge’s ruling.
“[We are] very dissatisfied with the justice system … very dissatisfied with the Commonwealth[‘s Attorney] of Newport News, as well as the judge,” McLaurin said. “They did not take into consideration our family [and] the tragedy that happened, that two people are gone at his hands.”
10 On Your Side reached out to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for comment, but did not hear back.
Venus Sanders sent WAVY.com the following letter:
We, the families of Akhi Abdul Haqq Murad and Barrington Anthony Brown are compelled to express our profound dismay and grave concerns regarding the recent decision to release Darrell Chaney back into society. This decision not only fails to acknowledge the immense suffering of our families but also disregards the safety of our community and its citizens.
The handling of this case by the judicial system has been nothing short of appalling. Instead of prioritizing the well-being of the victims’ families, it appears that the focus was misplaced, with more attention given to the defense rather than the prosecution. Our Prosecutor, Attorney Howard Gwynn, failed to adequately represent our interests, leaving us feeling neglected and marginalized.
Despite our relentless efforts, including gathering over 335 signatures petitions and submitting numerous letters to Judge Matthew W. Hoffman our pleas were seemingly ignored. The release of Darrell Chaney poses a clear and present danger to society, especially considering his extensive criminal history and propensity for violence as a habitual offender.
It is utterly sickening that someone like Darrell Keith Chaney, who has shown a blatant disregard for the law and a pattern of violent behavior, is allowed to roam freely. His previous offenses and the fact that he was already wanted in Tennessee should have been red flags that demanded closer scrutiny. Yet, the judicial system’s failure to consider these crucial factors is deeply troubling and indicative of a larger systemic issue.
Moreover, the fact that Darrell Keith Chaney is exploiting the legal system by feigning insanity using the “Chin Act” only adds insult to injury. It is a mockery of justice and a slap in the face to the memories of the victims, who were upstanding members of our community. We cannot allow such manipulation and abuse of the law to continue unchecked.
We implore the authorities to reconsider this decision and take immediate action to rectify this egregious miscarriage of justice. The safety and well-being of our community depend on it. We cannot afford to wait until Darrell Chaney strikes again. The time to act is now. Darrell Chaney will offend again, and we cannot stand by while other families are put at risk.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We eagerly await your response and hope for a swift resolution that prioritizes justice and the safety of our community.
Venus Sanders
Sincerely,
