State Urges Court to Reject Soering Innocence Petition
The Virginia Attorney General's Office has filed a 72-page response opposing Jens Soering's bid to overturn his 1985 murder conviction.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Criminal Justice
Virginia's Attorney General filed a 72-page response urging the Virginia Court of Appeals to reject Jens Soering's petition for a writ of actual innocence. Soering was convicted in the 1985 stabbing deaths of Derek and Nancy Haysom in Bedford County.
Why it matters
The filing argues the evidence Soering cites does not meet the legal standard to overturn a conviction, and the Court of Appeals will decide whether the case is reopened. The outcome could determine whether a decades-old conviction is revisited in Virginia.
The Attorney General's Office filed a 72-page response opposing the February petition, which cites DNA testing and challenges Soering's confession, which he has recanted. The Court of Appeals has not yet ruled on whether the case will be reopened.
The players
Jens Soering
Soering is the convicted man seeking to overturn his 1985 murder conviction through a petition for a writ of actual innocence.
Virginia Attorney General's Office
The state office representing the Commonwealth in opposing Soering's petition and defending the original conviction.
Virginia Court of Appeals
The state appellate court that will decide whether Soering's case will be reopened.
The details
Soering's petition argues two male relatives of the Haysoms cannot be excluded as possible sources of male blood found at the scene. The Attorney General's Office contends much of the evidence is not new and could have been discovered earlier or does not provide reliable proof.
Timeline
1985: Derek and Nancy Haysom were fatally stabbed in Bedford County.
February: Soering filed his petition for a writ of actual innocence.
August: The Court of Appeals directed the Attorney General's Office to respond.
November 6, 2026: The Attorney General's Office filed its 72-page response.
Legal Context
The case traces back to the 1985 killings of Derek and Nancy Haysom in Bedford County, which led to Soering's conviction decades ago. The current petition tests whether post-conviction DNA evidence and a recanted confession can meet Virginia's standard for a writ of actual innocence.
The Court of Appeals' decision will determine whether the Soering case is reopened, which could affect how post-conviction DNA and recanted confessions are handled in Virginia courts. Residents following the case can expect the appellate ruling to set the next procedural step.
The takeaway
Post-conviction petitions often hinge on whether new evidence was previously available, a point central to this filing. Readers following similar cases can track the appellate docket to see how courts weigh DNA results against prior trial evidence.
Further reading
For more on the state's court system, see Criminal Justice coverage in Virginia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WSET.
