A statue honoring Confederate soldiers that has stood for more than 100 years outside a Leesburg, Va., courthouse is now at the center of a battle between an attorney and residents.
The statue, which reads “In memory of the Confederate Soldiers of Loudoun County, Va. Erected May 28, 1908,” shows a soldier standing guard with his rifle, WTOP reports.
John Flannery, an attorney who regularly hears cases inside the courthouse, said the statue intimidates clients and should be moved into a museum or graveyard.
"It deters people. It chills them from believing they can get a fair shake in court," Flannery told WTOP.
But Gene Scheel, a Loudoun County historian, said the statue is “history” and other counties in Virginia have similar memorials.
Flannery said he’s still figuring out how to proceed with his plan of trying to get the statue moved.
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