By Shelley Orman

Roger D. Groot, Washington and Lee law professor, died of natural causes on Saturday, November 12, 2005.

Groot, who was 63 years old, is survived by his wife, Ellen, and their three children.

Groot joined the Washington and Lee law community in 1973, teaching criminal law and procedure. In 1990, he was named Class of 1975 Alumni Professor of Law.

As an undergraduate, Groot attended Vanderbilt University and studied Russian. He entered the Marine Corps after college and served six years including a tour of duty in Vietnam.

In 1971, Groot graduated from law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He then taught for two years at the University of Georgia.

In 1999, he became the director of a legal aid clinic, the Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse. This past summer, Gov. Mark Warner appointed Groot to the newly created Forensic Science Board which was constructed to establish policies, procedures and standards to guide the operations of the Virginia Department of Forensic Science.

Groot gained national recognition in 2002 for his help with the defense in the sniper case and trial of juvenile, Lee Boyd Malvo. Groot aided the fight against the death penalty and succeeded in keeping Malvo off death row.

Harlan Beckley, the acting university president, summed up the feelings of many upon the loss of Groot saying, "No faculty member at Washington and Lee has contributed more than Roger as a teacher, scholar, colleague, citizen of his community, and family member. Roger is widely respected for his knowledge about and concern for criminal justice. He will be missed at Washington and Lee and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family."
 

Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.

Lead supervisor:      Prof. Claudette Artwick

Reporting supervisor: Prof. Doug Cumming

Editing supervisor:  Prof. Pamela Luecke

Technical supervisor:  Michael Todd