Roger Groot

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Roger Douglas Groot (1942-2005) was the Class of 1975 Alumni Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia, where he had taught since 1973.^[1] He was an expert in criminal law and procedure, and the death penalty. Groot had been appointed counsel in several Virginia capital cases, appointed as defense legal analyst in federal death penalty cases, and consulted in several hundred capital cases, including Lee Boyd Malvo (Beltway Sniper)^[2] and Peter Odighizuwa (Appalachian School of Law shooting).^[3] At the time of Groot's death, none of his clients had been sent to death row.

New York Times reporter Jayson Blair wrote an article about Roger Groot's defense of Malvo.^[4] However, the New York Times later noted that this article was among those where Mr. Blair misrepresented himself. Despite the bi-line stating that Mr. Blair was reporting from Lexington, VA, he did not go to Lexington and only interviewed Professor Groot on the phone.^[5]

Professor Groot earned his B.A. degree from Vanderbilt University in 1963, and his J.D. degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1971.^[6]

Groot authored many law review articles on criminal law/procedure topics, especially the early history of trial by jury.^[7]

Professor Groot regularly lectured at death penalty CLE programs, and was a member of the faculty, Virginia Death Penalty College. Groot was a frequent speaker to bar groups and specialty bars such as the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the Virginia College of Criminal Defense Attorneys.

Professor Groot was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Order of the Coif, a member of the Board of Governors of the Virginia Bar Association, and a Fellow, Virginia Law Foundation. He died at the age of 63 on November 12, 2005.^[8]

Virginia Senate Joint Resolution No. 188 honors the life of Professor Groot.^[9]