Hurley Resident, Who Shot His Own Son, Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Malicious Wounding
On June 4, 2015, Scotty Whitt, 48, of Hurley, Virginia, pled no contest in the Buchanan County Circuit Court to the aggravated malicious wounding of his son, Josh Whitt, in June of last year. Whitt also entered pleas to charges of possession of a firearm by a violent convicted felon, domestic assault, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. A jury was scheduled to hear Whitt’s case that day but Whitt exercised his right to enter a plea to all charges. Whitt’s case is scheduled for August 25, 2015 for a sentencing hearing in which the local Circuit Court Judge will decide punishment.
The Commonwealth’s evidence showed that on June 2, 2014, Scotty Whitt’s son, Josh Whitt, who lived close by to the Whitt residence, responded to a call from his father who stated that he had assaulted Josh’s younger brother. Josh Whitt went to his father’s residence in hopes of finding his younger brother and taking him home to prevent further physical abuse by Scotty. According to Buchanan County Investigator, Eric Breeding, Josh arrived at the residence, got out of his car and approached the defendant’s house. He found his father drinking and cursing. Josh tried to approach the steps of the house to calm Scotty down, however, Scotty responded by threatening to bury him. Recognizing that his father was going inside his home to get a gun, Josh began running to the car and told his girlfriend, who was pregnant, to get back in the car. As he opened the car door to leave, the Defendant fired a shotgun blast directly at him. While the car door took much of the blast, Whitt received extensive injuries to his side and also had shotgun pellets permanently lodge themselves in his eye.
When asked for comment, Arrington praised the work of the investigators and deputies of the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department for their hard work during this investigation.
