VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A man accused of killing several people this month in Virginia Beach and Norfolk appeared in Virginia Beach court Friday morning, one day after his arrest.
Cola Beale IV appeared in a Virginia Beach courtroom by way of video feed for his arraignment Friday.
His face was hunched down on the screen. He told the judge he would take a court-appointed attorney from the public defender’s office.
Virginia Beach Public Defender Cal Bain raised questions to the judge suggesting a mental evaluation would likely be needed although Bain wanted to meet with Beale first.
Statements from TV interviews like the one we conducted Thursday night raised questions.
Like this statement: “To be in sound mind right now is not even. Nah. ‘Cause all I’m doing right now is seeing flashbacks of everything, like everything when I did it,” Beale said.
Beale told us he believes his fate is sealed.
“I want the electric chair because I am ready to leave. I am ready to move on, that is it. It’s over. I left my family. I left my kids. I left my business, you know what I mean?” he said.
It should be noted, there is no electric chair in the state. Virginia abolished the death penalty.
Beale has told us he has little remorse for killing his girlfriend Czavi’er Hill. He’s now charged with second-degree murder and arson for allegedly shooting her then burning and destroying her home.
He said he snapped last Tuesday after an argument with her and then set the house on fire.
In the same week, he also allegedly shot 73-year-old Clifton Baxter, a man who was like a father to him, at a home in the 700 block of Linda Court.
“I’m not living no more. I’m just here. I’m just in jail right now. Had I got in a shootout with the U.S. Marshals, I would have been dead,” Beale said, referring to when he was taken into custody Thursday morning in Hampton by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Beale will face a murder charge next week in Norfolk after he allegedly shot his cousin Downing McLean in the head and neck.
He has a preliminary hearing on June 2 on the Virginia Beach charges.