Republican Virginia Delegate Carrie Coyner alleged in an interview that Democratic Virginia Attorney General nominee Jay Jones made a violent remark about police officers during a 2020 phone call.
During an interview Monday, Coyner alleged Jones said in a 2020 conversation that if a few police officers died, it might prevent killings of other people, according to a Virginia Scope report. Jones denied making such a comment, the outlet reported.
The outlet asked Coyner to clarify what Jones was referencing when he reportedly said “I’ve told you this before” in a 2022 text exchange. Coyner alleged that it was connected to a heated phone conversation in 2020 about stripping qualified immunity protections from police officers, which shields officers from civil lawsuits. (RELATED: Democrat AG Candidate Reportedly Said He’d Put Two Bullets In Republican State Rep’s Head, ‘Piss On’ His Grave)
🚨More disgusting, disqualifying comments from Jay Jones.
Jay is running to be Virginia’s “top cop” and apparently thinks it would be a good thing if police officers were killed.
Every minute that Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, Don Scott, and Virginia Democrats delay in… pic.twitter.com/2DLgmerjEI
— Virginia GOP (@VA_GOP) October 6, 2025
Coyner told the outlet that they had a “heated conversation” on the topic and detailed his alleged stance. “I served on the Courts Committee for a short period of time. A bill to remove qualified immunity for police officers, which protects police officers from personal liability in their line of duty and their line of work, and he believed they should not have qualified immunity, and he was trying to convince me to agree with that, and I said, ‘No, police officers have to make a split-second decision about whether or not to shoot a gun to protect themselves or protect others. And if they’re having to think about, will this strip my whole family of everything … are they going to be able to make that split-second decision?’ And I said, ‘I believe that people will get killed. Police officers will get killed,’” she said. (RELATED: Media Goes Full Damage Control On Jay Jones Scandal That Could Cost Dems Virginia Election)
Instead of taking accountability for his actions, it appears that my opponent submitted a letter to the Court stating that he performed 500 hours of ‘community service’ for his own PAC, which isn’t a charitable organization under state code, to dodge potential jail time.
This… https://t.co/WoVE8wz9Oq
— Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) October 1, 2025
Coyner then recounted Jones’ alleged comment. “And he said, ‘Well, maybe if a few of them died, that they would move on, not shooting people, not killing people.’ And I said, ‘that’s insane.’ But he firmly believed that if you removed qualified immunity, police officers would act differently, and I firmly believe that it would not result in good public policy, and it would put police officers and the public’s lives at risk if they have to second-guess themselves on a decision they’re making in a moment where someone is doing something violent,” she told the outlet.
The Daily Caller reached out to Coyner to confirm her comments were accurately reflected by the report. A spokesperson wrote back stating, “Delegate Coyner stands by her comments.”
While serving in the House of Delegates, Jones co-sponsored legislation aimed at eliminating qualified immunity for police officers.
Coyner’s allegations come amid news that Jones reportedly sent disturbing text messages to Coyner in August 2022 threatening former Republican Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert with “two bullets to the head” and saying he would urinate atop his grave. Jones was sentenced after a 2022 incident of reckless driving and leveraged his community service for politics by logging approximately half of his service hours with his campaign committee, according to a report. (RELATED: Jay Jones Used Community Service From Reckless Driving Conviction To Advance Own Political Career)
New: Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears statement on Jay Jones texts and Abigail Spanberger:
“It is not enough for Jay Jones to drop out of the race,” said Earle-Sears, “Let me be clear: Spanberger’s continuing support for Jay Jones is also disqualifying her for office. ‘Let… pic.twitter.com/ESbqIr1WMq
— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) October 6, 2025
Jones released an apology late Friday to 8 News in response to the messages regarding Gilbert, stating he takes “full responsibility.” He publicly apologized to Gilbert and his family and noted that he had personally reached out to the former speaker to offer his apology to him, his wife and their children.
“Reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed and sorry,” he said.
The Caller reached out to Jones for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.
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