PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The City of Portsmouth is set to pay more than $200,000 to two men acquitted of charges related to their jobs as police officers. City Council members are set to vote to pay up to $176,865 to retired officer Vincent McClean and up to $54,901 to Officer Jeremy Durocher. Both men went on trial for alleged criminal actions while on the job and won their court cases.
Former officer Vincent McClean dealt with two different voluntary manslaughter cases. In 2023, a grand jury indicted McClean for the 2018 death of Willie Marable. Investigators said McClean shot and killed Marable during a home invasion investigation. Prosecutors argued McClean had some responsibility for the man's death because McClean did not provide medical attention like CPR, but he did call for an ambulance. A jury deliberated and found McClean not guilty.
Just hours after that verdict came down, another grand jury indicted McClean on a new voluntary manslaughter charge. This stemmed from the 2018 death of Carmeita Vanglider, who died after being in police custody. The prosecution again argued McClean failed to give medical help to a person in need. When the case went to trial in 2024, a judge granted a motion from the defense to dismiss the trial, agreeing the evidence didn't support the charge.
After the acquittal of the first case, the city reimbursed McClean for $142,000 in legal fees. The additional $176,865 that could be paid would reimburse legal fees for the dismissed trial dealing with Vanglider's death. McClean later filed a $16 million lawsuit against investigators for alleged malicious prosecution.
A Portsmouth grand jury indicted Officer Jeremy Durocher for his role in a 2017 shooting. Durocher faced a malicious wounding and weapons charge for allegedly shooting Deontrace Ward three times. Investigators say Ward was a burglary suspect and had a loaded gun as he tried to escape police when the shooting happened. A court convicted Ward for his role in the burglary and he served prison time.
During the malicious wounding trial in 2023, Officer Durocher took the stand and testified Ward had pointed a gun at him and was running towards other police officers with the weapon. He says he shot Ward because the suspect posed a threat to others. A jury found Durocher not guilty of the charges.
Two proposed ordinances would provide reimbursement for legal expenses for both men. The documents reference section 15.2-1711 of the Virginia Code. That statute says if a law enforcement officer is charged with a crime related to official duties and is found not guilty or the charge is dismissed, the governing body of the locality the officer works for may reimburse some of the officer's legal fees. The money will be paid from funds in the FY 2025 Risk Management Fund Budget.
