Here’s one number to cut right to the heart of Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Charlottesville commonwealth’s attorney: 19. That’s how many times Joe Platania’s office says it has prosecuted felony simple possession of hard drugs as a standalone charge in the last two years. Platania says that the statistic proves his office isn’t […]
Here’s one number to cut right to the heart of Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Charlottesville commonwealth’s attorney: 19. That’s how many times Joe Platania’s office says it has prosecuted felony simple possession of hard drugs as a standalone charge in the last two years. Platania says that the statistic proves his office isn’t […]
Political races in Albemarle County are usually pretty staid compared to Charlottesville’s—except for the commonwealth’s attorney race. Prosecutors Jim Camblos (in 2007) and Denise Lunsford (in 2015) were both ousted after controversial, high-profile cases. And 2019 has promised to be another closely watched contest—even before incumbent Robert Tracci’s opponent received an unheard-of $50,000 donation. Republican […]
Bathrooms. Locker rooms. Cars. Check any of these places on a typical school day, and you’re likely to find students taking part in the latest teen trend: vaping. “It’s pretty common around my crowd,” says one Charlottesville High School senior, who estimates about 25 percent of his classmates vape. “Kids will duck out of class […]
The man who was convicted of abduction with intent to defile and who spent two-and-a-half years in jail before the alleged victim’s story fell apart filed suit July 14 against the former commonwealth’s attorney who prosecuted him. Mark Weiner, now living in Maryland, filed a civil lawsuit in federal court July 14—exactly two years after […]
Commonwealth’s attorney candidate Jeff Fogel was arrested in the wee hours today when five police cars came to his house following an alleged assault earlier in the evening outside Miller’s on the Downtown Mall. That was where the latest confrontation between whites-righter Jason Kessler and Showing Up for Racial Justice took place after Kessler dined at […]
Charlottesville’s legal community turned out today for Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania’s official announcement that he wants the job of his boss, Dave Chapman, who will not be seeking a seventh term. Chapman introduced and endorsed Platania, whom he hired in the city prosecutor’s office in 2003. “It’s important to me who’s the next commonwealth’s attorney,” […]
Robert Tracci won’t officially take the job as Albemarle’s top prosecutor until January 1, but he was in court December 17 to be sworn in, an oath Judge Cheryl Higgins requested he take a second time because she had instructed him to say “fairly and impartially perform the duties” rather than “faithfully and impartially.” Republican Tracci […]