PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth's chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) reacted Saturday evening after a grand jury's decision to indict former Portsmouth Police Officer Vincent McClean a second time.
In the wake of the second indictment against McClean, the police union representing officers in Portsmouth issued a statement accusing the Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney's Office of engaging in an "underlying vendetta" against the Portsmouth Police Department.
The Portsmouth's Commonwealth's Attorney's Office charged Vincent McClean with voluntary manslaughter for the death of a 28-year-old pregnant woman who died in police custody.
In the statement, FOP leaders wrote that they believe that "the goal of the Commonwealth's Attorney’s Office is to keep throwing charges at officers until one sticks," so that the officer "can be prosecuted and persecuted publicly."
The woman, Carmeita Vangilder, died in 2018 inside the Portsmouth jail while allegedly asking for help and yelling for water.
A grand jury indicted McClean just hours after another jury found him not guilty of manslaughter in the death of 28-year-old Willie Marable.
In Vangilder's case, her family's attorney filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2019 against the City of Portsmouth. They allege that Vangilder could have survived if then-Officer McClean and another responding officer had brought her directly to the hospital than to jail after Vangilder reportedly said she did not feel well.
In both cases against McClean, the issue regards whether or not he provided necessary medical aid to those in police custody.
FOP leaders wrote that they believe the additional indictment gave the appearance that it was "intended to cause McClean and his family considerable undue stress both financially and personally."
The statement calls on the community to rally behind McClean and all Portsmouth Police Officers.
FOP member Mike Holley Sr. told 13News Now he worked alongside McClean for years at the Portsmouth Police Department.
“Made me want to be a better cop. The way he treated people on the street," Holley said.
Holley described the former officer as dedicated and said he doesn’t deserve what he’s going through right now.
“I think that indictment came so quickly because the Commonwealth Attorney got upset because the jury didn’t do what they wanted them to do," Holley said.
13News Now reached out to the City of Portsmouth and the Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney, but has yet to hear back.