{"id":2584238,"date":"2026-03-26T18:33:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T22:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sex-offender-gets-win-as-virginia-locker-room-trial-is-paused\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T18:35:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T22:35:11","slug":"sex-offender-gets-win-as-virginia-locker-room-trial-is-paused","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sex-offender-gets-win-as-virginia-locker-room-trial-is-paused\/","title":{"rendered":"Sex offender gets win as Virginia locker room trial is paused"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsex-offender-gets-win-as-virginia-locker-room-trial-is-paused%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2584238&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A Virginia transgender bathroom case is on hold after a judge dismissed the loitering charges against richard Cox,a registered sex offender who identifies as transgender. Cox faces multiple charges in Virginia\u2019s 17th Judicial Circuit, including indecent exposure, indecent liberties with a child, and loitering related to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/richard-cox-derails-sex-offender-case-once-again\/\" title=\"Richard Cox derails ... case, once again\">entering female locker rooms<\/a> across Arlington County. The dismissal of the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >loitering charges effectively freezes<\/a> the trial while the state appeals the decision.<\/p>\n<p>The dispute centers on Arlington County\u2019s policy allowing people to use facilities that match their gender identity rather than their biological sex, a point prosecutors argued to keep the loitering charges in place. Witnesses alleged that Cox engaged in inappropriate behavior in the locker room, including incidents reported by a mother and her 7-year-old child. The defense argues delays and Cox\u2019s inability to attend hearings, given his incarceration, hinder preparation.<\/p>\n<p>The judge upheld the dismissal of the loitering charges, sending that issue to the Virginia Court of Appeals for review. Former virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares had tried to take over the case,but Arlington County declined; the matter will be argued by the office of the new Attorney General,Jay Jones. The case could take months to resolve on appeal,and,irrespective of the appeals outcome,the trial in Arlington County Court is expected to resume.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Transgender sex offender gets massive win as Virginia locker room trial is paused<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2525322\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>ARLINGTON, Virginia &mdash; <\/strong>The trial for a transgender bathroom case in Virginia is now at a standstill after the judge decided to dismiss the loitering charges against Richard Cox, who is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-mayor-hires-convicted-sex-offender-who-raped-teenage-girls-to-inspect-homes-residents-ill-be-terrified\/\" title=\"Dem Mayor Hires Convicted ... Who Raped Teenage Girls To Inspect Homes. Residents: \u2018I\u2019ll Be Terrified\u2019\">registered child sex offender<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Commonwealth Attorneys told <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> they were &ldquo;pissed&rdquo; about the judge&rsquo;s decision and said that now, &ldquo;the trial is basically frozen.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4505067\/under-assault-anna-giaritelli\/\">&#8216;You can do everything right&#8217;: Crime reporter on sexual assault survival and lack of justice<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4502811\/savannah-guthrie-first-interview-nancy-guthrie-disappearance\/\">Savannah Guthrie gives first interview since mother&#8217;s disappearance: &#8216;I wake up every night&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4501190\/us-park-police-officer-ambushed-in-dc-shooting\/\">US Park Police officer ambushed in DC shooting<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Cox is facing a slew of charges in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.arlingtonva.us\/Government\/Departments\/Courts\/Circuit-Court\/Circuit-Court-Judges\">Virginia&rsquo;s 17th Judicial Circuit Court<\/a>, including indecent exposure, indecent liberties with a child, and loitering in relation to entering female locker rooms across Arlington County. Cox, who is a biological man, identifies as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/videos\/4480805\/liberty-university-zinski-oral-arguments-transgender\/\">transgender<\/a> and was able to enter these locker rooms because Arlington County policy allows people to use facilities that match their gender identity rather than their biological sex.<\/p>\n<p>Witnesses claim a mother and her 7-year-old child saw Cox masturbating in the shower with the curtain open.<\/p>\n<p>The Thursday afternoon hearing began with the bailiff informing Judge <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/videos\/3844278\/virginia-locker-room-suspect-richard-cox-scolds-judge-preferred-pronouns\/\">Daniel T. Lopez<\/a> that Cox had refused to attend, shocking many in the courtroom. As there was no reason given for the defendant&rsquo;s absence, Cox&rsquo;s defense attorneys asked for a continuance.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Cox is representing herself on many of these charges,&rdquo; Cox&rsquo;s public defender, Cameron Williams, argued, using Cox&rsquo;s preferred pronouns.<\/p>\n<p>But Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Nassir Aboreden argued to the judge that this was just another stunt from a defendant who has pulled several throughout the legal proceedings.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve also seen a pattern in his behavior in court that [Cox] has sometimes purposely delayed,&rdquo; Aboreden said. <\/p>\n<p>The judge agreed. He had previously signaled skepticism about Cox&rsquo;s argument that a week was not enough time for him to prepare for his hearing.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Court is clearly cognizant of the fact that Richard Cox is incarcerated and his obligations, as far as daily duties, are few,&rdquo; Judge Lopez said at the March 6 hearing, suggesting Cox had little else to do but to prepare for the next hearing.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dispute-over-loitering-charges\">Dispute over loitering charges<\/h2>\n<p>Cox had fought to dismiss the loitering charges, brought because of the allegedly inordinate amount of time Cox spent in women&rsquo;s locker rooms. <\/p>\n<p>The Commonwealth spent roughly an hour on Thursday arguing in favor of keeping those charges in place. Witnesses claim Cox, who is still a fully intact male, would walk around the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sex-offender-identifying-as-woman-charged-with-exposing-himself-to-girls-in-womens-locker-room\/\" title=\"... Identifying as Woman Charged with Exposing Himself to Girls in Women...s ...\">locker room naked<\/a> for hours. Police found evidence on Cox&rsquo;s phone that Cox had highlighted children&rsquo;s swim lessons and gymnastic classes on recreation center schedules.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have to prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that he was there with no apparent lawful purpose,&rdquo; Aboreden said in court. &rdquo;If we are able to do that, that is the burden we&rsquo;ve met.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The judge upheld his decision to dismiss the loitering charges. That means the dispute will head next to the court of appeals, where the Virginia Attorney General&rsquo;s office will argue the case.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, fought to take over the case before he left office, but Arlington County refused. The case will therefore be argued by newly sworn-in Democratic Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jay-jones\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"19766\">Jay Jones&rsquo;s<\/a> office.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/videos\/4484283\/judge-allows-sex-offender-question-witnesses-locker-room-trial\/\"><strong>JUDGE TO ALLOW SEX OFFENDER TO QUESTION WITNESSES IN VIRGINIA LOCKER ROOM CASE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Abhimanyu Mehta told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>that the trial will remain &ldquo;in purgatory&rdquo; as the court of appeals decides whether to take the case, touching off a process that could take months. The original trial date was set for April 20.<\/p>\n<p>The case will return to the Arlington County Court for the trial regardless of how the appeals court rules on the loitering charges.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VA locker-room case paused: loitering charges dismissed<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2745,"featured_media":2584239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0227-Richard-Cox-derails-trial-Feature-image.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[69689,4133,76618,76619,5468],"class_list":["post-2584238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-court-case-2","tag-news","tag-sex-offense","tag-trial-delay-2","tag-virginia"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0227-Richard-Cox-derails-trial-Feature-image.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2584238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2745"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2584238"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2584238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2584242,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2584238\/revisions\/2584242"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2584239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2584238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2584238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2584238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}