RICHMOND, Va (WTVR) - Longtime Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harry Carrico died over the weekend. He was 96 years old. Justice Carrico was sworn in as a justice in 1961, and was named chief justice in 1981. He retired in 2003.
"He had a wonderful personality. Great sense of humor. I never saw him angry," Cathy Listander, who was Justice Carrico's secretary for 38 years, said.
Listander said everyone at the Virginia Supreme Court is grieving Carrico's death, and that his mark on the courts will last a longtime.
"I'll always have a special place in my heart for him," Listander said.
In the early years of his career, Carrico and the Virginia Supreme Court upheld a controversial law that outlawed interracial marriage in the Commonwealth. The U.S. Supreme Court overruled the decision in 1967.
Carrico oversaw thousands of cases in his career, and Listander said he always had a specific mindset when he considered the impact of his rulings.
"His focus was always what was best for the Commonwealth," she said.
The flags at the Virginia Supreme Court building flew at half-staff Monday to honor Carrico's legacy.
As soon as funeral information is released, we will post the details to WTVR.com.
