Virginia Democrat AG Candidate's 2020 Comments on Police Deaths Stir Controversy

Jay Jones, the Democratic candidate for Virginia Attorney General, is facing criticism after Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner revealed that in a 2020 phone call, Jones suggested that if some police officers died after losing qualified immunity protections, they would stop shooting people. Coyner recounted that Jones believed removing qualified immunity would change police behavior and reduce civilian shootings. Jones has denied making such statements, emphasizing his respect and support for law enforcement. The controversy follows additional resurfaced text messages from 2022 in which Jones allegedly joked about shooting GOP colleagues and wished harm upon their children, drawing widespread backlash and calls for him to drop out of the race. Jones has stated his commitment to working with law enforcement as Attorney General. The issue highlights the contentious debate around qualified immunity and police accountability in Virginia politics.