Samuel J.T. Moore III lost his bid yesterday to inspect the record of multijurisdictional grand jury's meetings before the raid of his strip club in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom.

The search, executed early Feb. 24, netted potential evidence that included a videotape that prosecutors say shows Moore having sex with a minor and a woman.

However, Moore isn't ending his efforts to inspect the grand-jury transcripts, despite yesterday's ruling by Judge Richard D. Taylor Jr. of Richmond Circuit Court.

Moore's attorney, Michael Morchower, said he may appeal the decision or file a request to argue his case in federal court, where he said the rules of pretrial discovery are broader than in state court.

"I take the position that whatever information the prosecutor has should be available for inspection by the accused," Morchower said after today's hearing. "All I'm asking for is the same information the commonwealth's attorney has."

Moore, 44, is facing trial in late June on charges of having sex with a 17-year-old girl and filming it in his residence above Club Velvet, the strip club he owns on South 15th Street.

Moore, a Richmond native, is charged with producing child pornography and unlawfully filming the acts, each of which would be a felony because it involved a minor. He's also charged with unlawfully filming sex with an 18-year-old woman, which would be a misdemeanor. Two charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor also would be misdemeanors.

A hearing is scheduled for May 22 before Circuit Judge Beverly W. Snukals to consider pretrial motions. The trial is scheduled in Snukals' court on June 26 and 27.
Contact Michael Martz at (804) 649-6964 or mmartz@timesdispatch.com.