‘Bad dream’: Jesse Matthew victim tells how assault affected her

“I felt utterly helpless,” she said. “I feared this was to be the end of my life.” A rapt Fairfax courtroom gave the woman attacked by Jesse L. Matthew Jr. a chance to convey the terror he inflicted, testimony that could play a role in putting Matthew behind bars for life. The 33-year-old Charlottesville man […]

Robert Tracci launches Albemarle prosecutor campaign

Albemarle Republicans are giddy to have a candidate for commonwealth’s attorney, and several dozen of them, including Supervisor Ken Boyd and former supe Rodney Thomas, gathered in front of the Albemarle Circuit Court June 10 for Robert Tracci’s campaign kickoff. “Have you seen his resume?” asked Clara Belle Wheeler, State Board of Elections member. The former federal prosecutor […]

UVA students 2, ABC agents 0 in high-profile arrests

Within two minutes, charges for public drunkenness and obstruction of justice against UVA student Martese Johnson were dropped Friday morning, and supporters in the courtroom burst into applause—followed by an order from the judge for quiet in the courtroom. Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman told Judge Robert Downer that following the Virginia State Police criminal […]

Jesse Matthew enters Alford plea in Fairfax

On the third day of his Fairfax trial, where Jesse Matthew is on trial for a 2005 attempted murder, sexual assault and abduction, he entered an Alford plea. Matthew also faces charges in Albemarle for the murder of UVA student Hannah Graham last fall. The plea came after the prosecution called witnesses who testified that […]

Off to the races: The elections are over — long live the elections!

Well, there you go. The feverish excitement of Virginia’s primary season is over, with literally dozens of voters flooding the polls, and now almost every general election candidate is busy preparing for the big show in November. We say “almost” every candidate, because there are still a number of too-close-to-call contests mired in recounts across […]

Charlottesville v. Schultz: City sues in latest Steephill skirmish

While Dominion is suing landowners in its pursuit of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, closer to home, Charlottesville is flexing its own eminent domain muscle and has filed a survey-seeking petition against a landowner who for years has accused the city of illegally taking his property. That would be Woolen Mills resident Louis Schultz, who’s been arrested […]

Richard Lloyd enters supes’ race and first controversy

Greenwood-born engineer Richard Lloyd announced his bid as the Republican candidate for the Rivanna District seat soon to be vacated by Ken Boyd on the Albemarle Board of Supervisors last week, and almost was immediately taken to task on Facebook for a statement that there are as many administrators as teachers in county schools. At […]