News Releases

Attorney General Jay Jones Secures Landmark $2.25 Million Settlement Against Discriminatory Landlord  

The OAG’s Office of Civil Rights Achieves Justice for Hampton Roads Tenants 

RICHMOND, Va. -- Attorney General Jones is proud to announce the Office of Civil Rights’ historic settlement in a fair housing case brought against David Merryman, a notorious landlord in Newport News and Norfolk who is already serving 17 years in prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based interference with housing and employment. The court found that for years, Merryman harassed and abused his tenants by calling them racist, sexist, and homophobic epithets, refusing to complete basic repairs to make their homes habitable, evicting tenants who requested those basic repairs, and, in some cases, even threatening violence to tenants who simply requested that Merryman fulfill his legal duties as a landlord. 

Attorney General Jones has put an end to this abhorrent situation, and secured relief for those who were victimized as part of a landmark settlement. This huge win comes two years after Merryman was sentenced to federal prison for fraud and discriminatory practices. The terms of the settlement are sweeping and order the following of Merryman:  

• He can never be a landlord in the Commonwealth again. 

• He must sell all of his rental properties in Virginia within a year. 

• He must work with the courts to eliminate millions of dollars of eviction filings and judgments from the records of his past tenants. This action removes a serious barrier for tenants to obtain housing. 

• He must pay a monetary settlement of $2,250,000, which will be used to compensate tenants who were victims of his discriminatory behavior.  

“Our friends, neighbors, communities, and families have the right to be treated with respect and dignity throughout the housing process, as guaranteed by the Virginia Fair Housing Law and the Fair Housing Act. Anyone found in violation of these laws will be held accountable by this office and justice will be achieved for tenants who face discrimination,” said Attorney General Jones. “We are in a new era of civil rights enforcement in the Commonwealth. Returning this office to the people means returning energy and talent to the cases that went neglected far too long. The attorneys who first brought this case to court under my predecessor, former Attorney General Mark Herring — Helen Hardiman and Palmer Heenan — are back in this office leading efforts to safeguard the civil rights of all Virginians. Discriminatory harassment has no place in our Commonwealth and will play no role in the future we are creating for those who come after us.” 

“I was honored to rejoin the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia under Attorney General Jones’ leadership,” said Deputy Attorney General Helen Hardiman. “When he created the new Public Advocacy Division, AG Jones made clear that we are here to vigorously enforce people’s rights. I still viscerally remember the horror stories of Merryman’s tenants who we interviewed when we first opened this case in 2021. I hope they finally feel vindicated. This settlement is a testament to the hard work of attorneys in the Office of Civil Rights and the willingness of the Attorney General to bring the full resources of the Office to bear to stamp out housing discrimination.” 

“Today’s settlement holds Merryman accountable; requiring him to admit that he discriminated against his tenants, abused his tenants, and called them horrific racist, sexist, and homophobic slurs. Justice has come. He can never again harm a tenant in the Commonwealth,” said Section Chief Palmer Heenan. “The extent of the trauma and abuse his tenants faced cannot be understated. Having been involved in this case from the start, I am grateful to have helped impacted tenants achieve long-awaited justice.” 

If you believe your housing rights have been violated, you have options: 

• File a complaint within one year with the Virginia Fair Housing Office or your local fair housing agency. 

• File a lawsuit in court within two years of the last discriminatory act. 

To read the full Consent Decree, click here. 

Published on: July 16, 2026

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