Changing a streak of two decades of uncontested races, former Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Deaton announced this weekend he will be running to reclaim his old position against incumbent Dave Chapman, who has held on to the job for 20 years in uncontested elections since defeating Deaton in a 1993 Democratic primary.
Deaton served as the city’s Commonwealth’s Attorney from 1990 to 1994 and as the city’s assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for eight years prior.
In announcing his candidacy, Deaton called for increased community involvement, improved crime prevention and increased transparency. Deaton also highlighted his past accomplishments as Commmonwealth’s Attorney, including hiring the first African-American to work in the Commonwealth Attorney’s office and establishing the Victim Witness Program and Domestic Violence Project.
“Jury trials are now less than two percent of cases, and it is time to look for other ways for citizens to have input into their system,” he said in a statement.
Deaton also says that if elected, he will establish a public email and Facebook page to open a dialogue with the public. “No one person has all the answers,” he said. “Let us resolve to work to work together to make the system better.”
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—compiled by Valerie Clemens_
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