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Fatal boating accident case takes surprising twist: Judge McKenney recuses himself from proceedings

Lisa Hinton-Valdrighi

by Lisa Hinton-Valdrighi

LANCASTERThere were gasps, a few mumbled words of disappointment and some tears from the family members of the late Graham McCormick last Wednesday when, in a shocking move, Judge R. Michael McKenney recused himself from hearing the case against John Randolph “Rand” Hooper of Richmond.

Hooper appeared in the Lancaster County Circuit Court last Wednesday morning on charges of involuntary manslaughter while operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs and failure to render aid.

The charges stem from a boating accident in August 2017 which resulted in the death of 31-year-old McCormick of Georgia. He had been visiting with Hooper and other friends at the Irvington home of Hooper’s parents, Gary and Lucy Hooper. His body was found in Carter Creek and it was later determined…

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