NORFOLK, Va. — The Commonwealth Attorney's Office called four witnesses to testify in the first day of the elder abuse trial for Chesapeake City Councilwoman Amanda Newins in Norfolk Circuit Court Tuesday.
Newins, elected to Chesapeake City Council in 2022, faces a lawsuit from her great aunt seeking close to $900,000 dollars in damages. The lawsuit, filed in September, alleges Newins abused her right as power of attorney related to the acquisition of a Virginia Beach home off of Kempsville Road.
Roanoke County Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Bill Braxton's first words to the selected jury were "She took advantage."
In the fall of 2020 Newins' great aunt and uncle, Shirley and Bobby Davis, moved out from their long-time Kempsville Road property and into the home of Newins and her husband. In a statement of facts submitted in previous court documents, Newins' great uncle was diagnosed with Alzheimers and late stage dementia that December. Included in this period of transition was the signing of new powers of attorney, wills, as well Newins allegedly being added to Shirley and Bobby's financial accounts.
According to the same statement of facts, Newins acquired the Kempsville Road property after the Davises signed a Deed of Gift, which is "consistent with the desires written in their wills."
Braxton further argued Newins had led Shirley Davis to believe there was "no other option" regarding the ownership of the Davises' assets, in relation to their desire to seek medical assistance for Bobby's declining health.
"I trusted her," Shirley Davis repeatedly stated to the courtroom during her witness testimony.
Newins' attorney Kristin Paulding painted a different picture to the motivations behind these decisions.
According to Paulding, the Davises served as secondary parents to Newins, helping raise her throughout her early childhood and into adulthood. Davis later testified that Newins and her husband accommodated them by cooking meals for the couple and driving them to their doctors appointments.
Following the acquisition of the Kempsville property, Newins and her husband began making improvements and repairs to the home, with the intention of having the entire family unit eventually move back in, according to Paulding.
Davis testified she was told the house "needed to be fixed" before they could go back.
On the witness stand, Davis acknowledged she was unaware of reports of lead paint and asbestos in the house.
The day's final witness included a notary who notarized the Deed of Gift document transferring ownership of the house to Newins, but admitted the Davises were not present at the time of the signing.
Day 2 of the trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday, with the Commonwealth Attorney's first witness being a neurologist to speak on the declining health conditions of Newins' great uncle.