This is the Virginia Model: “Escalating Psychological Violence.” Today is October 17, 2025.
As I’ve recently reported, there are a number of problems occurring within the Virginia Department of Corrections. I myself have, for 10 years, repeatedly been the victim of targeting and harassment. That is now escalated. For reference, I filed complaints, LVCC-25-WRI-1503, and I’ve left several recordings with the Office of the State Inspector General Ombudsman Oversight Committee. In relevance to one of the reports that I did, acting as a journalist, and based on the facts that I had, a charge was issued against me back on September 26, 2025. It’s case number LVCC-2025-0164. It was a false charge about making false statements.
During the recording, and I encourage people to file a Freedom of Information Act so that they can hear this, the investigator, so called, admitted violating the law when there was no body camera being used during my interrogation. That’s covered under Code of Virginia section 15.2-1723.1. This is an ongoing problem all over the Virginia DOC, where staff simply feel like they can just break the law. Furthermore, that interrogator actually admitted, on record, that he’s required to have one, but did not. He furthermore admitted that there was no actual investigation to [uncear] what he claimed was evidence; never spoke to the person that was involved, and never investigated the laws concerning what I had reported.
Then, the hearing officer openly ignored the evidence that exonerated me and openly stated that reports in a journalistic endeavor mean nothing, and then they robbed me of $15. The charge itself, 121A, actually has four stipulations to it, and the fourth one specifically states that anyone making a report in good faith with the belief in information that the facts they are presenting are accurate cannot be issued this charge. The hearings officer wanted to hear none of that and openly declared my 1st Amendment null and void; any journalistic protections null and void, and essentially, I could make even a whistleblower argument based on the report.
No sooner was I found guilty of this charge, after being summarily transferred to another facility without any due process, I was issued a second charge, this one for supposedly disobeying direct orders. I’ll note that it was issued on the same day I was found guilty, October 6th, of the previous charge, three hours later, while I was in a mental health meeting with a mental health psychologist at Gainesville. That charge is HCC-2025-1473, and the hearings officer refused exonerating camera footage showing where I was, and at the time; refused to acknowledge that there was conflicting orders, one from a unit manager and one from an officer who was telling me to go to the mental health immediately, and refused witnesses. The psychologist herself, who, on a request form, openly stated to list her as a witness. They also refused the relevance of a traumatic brain injury, which, in a state of conflicting orders, leaves me forced to process. You can even hear it in my voice as I try to go through this motion. This has been an ongoing thing.
The Virginia Model is based on lies. It’s not based on any kind of reality. It’s not like the restoring promise movement led by the Vera Institute. It’s not like the San Quentin model of restoration. The Virginia Model is smoke and mirrors. It is lies. It is targeting of people who repeat what is wrong. My name is David Annarelli. I’m a wrongfully convicted political prisoner. I’m a contributing writer at the Prison Journalism Project. davidannarelli.wordpress.com, you can Google me. I want it known that I’m actually very concerned for my safety, and anyone who’s familiar with the Virginia DOC should take that very seriously. Thank you very much.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio
