CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (WINA) – With a legal career spanning more than four decades, Charlottesville attorney Jeff Fogel has arguably presented more than his fair share of defense arguments. Standing in front of City Hall on Thursday afternoon, he officially launched his campaign to become the city’s chief prosecutor.
“I do this out of a grave concern over the criminal justice system, something that’s been a passion of mine, I think, since law school, 48 years ago,” he said. “We have been in a crisis in criminal justice for at least the last two decades. We’re sending too many people to jail without any benefit to the community. It’s costing us a fortune, and we’ve got serious racial inequities in the system.”
Assistant Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania announced his own bid for the Democratic nomination recently. Current Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman is not seeking reelection.
His goals include keeping as many non-violent offenders out of the criminal justice system as possible. That by way of referral to social services and other agencies. He would also try to reduce as many first time felony cases to misdemeanors as possible in order to give defendants a change to become a productive member of society. He would never seek the death penalty, nor would he prosecute possession of recreational marijuana.
