Cornelius Evans, the son of the late V.I. Gov. Melvin Evans, is set to become deputy attorney general for the Justice Department’s St. Croix Division.
V.I. Attorney General Iver Stridiron announced the move earlier this week, saying the 10-year Justice attorney will replace attorney Darryl Donohue, who will be sworn in as an associate judge of the Territorial Court on March 16.
"Cornelius Evans is an experienced civil and criminal litigator and is held in high regard by the legal community and the judiciary," Stridiron said. "He will manage the St. Croix Attorney General’s office and will answer to the chief deputy attorney general and the attorney general."
The top Justice position on St. Croix became vacant when Gov. Charles Turnbull made his controversial decision last year to boot Judge Alphonso Andrews from Territorial Court. Turnbull then picked Donohue to fill Andrews’ spot.
Turnbull was strongly criticized for not reappointing Andrews to another six-year term. Several senators claimed Andrews was ousted for political reasons, in particular a December 1999 decision blocking Beal Aerospace from developing public land on St. Croix to build its world headquarters. Turnbull supported the Texas-based company’s venture.
Beal pulled out of the St. Croix project two weeks after Andrews granted plaintiff Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen’s request for a permanent injunction against the deal.
Andrews served as judge for one six-year term. He has since been rehired by the U.S. Department of Justice as an assistant U.S. attorney in the St. Croix office.
Donohue, meanwhile, was confirmed by the 23rd Legislature late last year on a 13-1 vote, with Sen. Adelbert Bryan voting no and Hansen not voting.
Evans is married and the father of four children. He is the brother of two current assistant attorney generals in the Justice Department, William Evans in the St. Thomas office and Melvin H. Evans Jr. in the St. Croix office.