Special Prosecutor Appointed In Alderman Case

Marlinton, WV – Pocahontas County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Pomponio signed an order on April 19, appointing a new special prosecutor in the criminal case State of West Virginia versus Norman Alderman. The order appoints Monroe County prosecuting attorney Justin St. Claire as the special prosecutor. The West Virginia Prosecuting Attorney’s Institute provided St. Claire as a candidate for the job.

The special prosecutor will receive no extra pay or fee for handling the case, but the Pocahontas County Commission will pay travel, meal and lodging expenses.

Pocahontas County Sheriff’s officers arrested Alderman on August 12, 2010 and charged him with misdemeanor harassment and stalking of county commissioner David Fleming. The case was dismissed, without prejudice, in October 2010 and Alderman was told he could retrieve his computer equipment from the Sheriff’s Department.
When Alderman arrived at the courthouse on October 28, 2010 to pick up the equipment, he was arrested and charged with felony possession of confidential computer information, property of the Pocahontas County Board of Education.

Alderman was fired from his job as technology consultant with the Board of Education in 2006. In that position, he had access to student and employee social security numbers, birthdates, test scores and other confidential information.
Pocahontas County prosecutor Donna Meadows Price recused herself from the case.

A previous special prosecutor from Nicholas County failed to appear at a show cause hearing in September, 2011 and a special magistrate dismissed all charges against Alderman, without prejudice. The Nicholas County prosecutor, James Milam, subsequently notified the Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Department he would not prosecute the case. He previously served as a County Commissioner between 1989 – 1994.

On Alderman’s website, postings attributed to Alderman claim the renewed prosecution is politically motivated. A posting directed to Sheriff David Jonese, attorney Robert Martin and Magistrate Kathy Beverage, dated April 27, states :

“I have beaten you devils twice! The last prosecutor who came after me had the entire record shredded. I can beat you the third time, too. You will not stop the press! Another person has my codes even if you take my computers. The Pocahontas Commentator will go on publish the truth about the dirt in this county. You three should know that I am a Christian man who loves the Lord and that my God will not fail to protect me from demons with badges. You will answer to God alone for your dirty, ungodly deeds.”