CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A cross-section of those who crossed paths almost daily with late Kanawha County Circuit Judge Charlie King will be part of the ceremony to remember him on Wednesday.
Services are set for noon in the ceremonial courtroom of the Kanawha County Courthouse for King who died Dec. 28th. To comply with COVID-19 guidelines, attendance will be limited to family and close friends, but the entire ceremony will be streamed live on the county’s Facebook page.
Speakers include U.S. District Judge, former Kanawha County circuit judge, Irene Berger, Kanawha County Circuit Judge Duke Bloom, Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper, Kanawha County Circuit Clerk Cathy Gatson and Judge King’s law clerk Christine Fox. Among others slated to speak in remembering the longtime judge will be several attorneys, both defense lawyers and from the prosecutor’s office, who regularly appeared before him in court. Several of the scheduled speakers have pre-recorded their messages to be part of the ceremony and reduce the potential for spread of the virus.
“It’s certainly not the tribute he deserved, but it is one he would approve of to keep us all safe and save lives with Covid in mind,” Bloom told MetroNews Tuesday.
King was the chief judge of Kanawha County when COVID-19 was first identified as a pandemic in March 2020 and gave the first order to close the Kanawha County Judicial Annex and move trial activity to a virtual format in an attempt to halt the virus spread.
King served on the bench since 1988 and prior to that spent four years as Kanawha County’s elected prosecutor. His time in the prosecutor’s office started in the early 1970s.
“The people just loved him and jumped on his band wagon. Charlie was just so personable and I don’t know anybody who didn’t appreciate his humor and his intellect,” Bloom added.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department Honor Guard will be part of the ceremony along with the Charleston Police Department.
Chaplain Sgt. Doug Paxton will offer prayer. Assistant Kanawha County Prosecutor Maryclaire Akers is a longtime friend of the late judge and was instrumental in the planning for his memorial. She will also deliver remarks during the Wednesday ceremony.
Judge King will be buried at Tyler Mountain Memorial Gardens in Cross Lanes with full military honors.