“One of the most important parts of being Commonwealth Attorney is trying jury trials, and I have won acquittal for my clients in my last five jury trials.“
~ PVN staff report
LURAY, April 11 — On Friday, local attorney and newly elected Luray Councilman Charles “Chuck” Butler submitted a letter to Page Valley News, announcing his intent to seek the office of Commonwealth Attorney in Page County.
“It is with great pleasure that I, Charles (Chuck) Butler, wish to announce my candidacy for Commonwealth Attorney of Page County. I wish to start by congratulating Bryan Cave on his appointment as Juvenile Court Judge and to thank him for his service to Page County as Commonwealth Attorney,” Butler’s letter states.
On May 6, Cave will likely be arguing his last jury trial on a special case in Warren County before taking the gavel on June 1. While he has not been told where he will be sitting on the bench — and it could be anywhere in the 26th judicial circuit or rotating within it — he anticipates serving in Page and Rockingham counties.
“I have 35 years of experience as a criminal defense attorney, trying cases across the Commonwealth of Virginia, the last 25 years of which have been here in Page County,” Butler letter states.
A lifelong resident of Page County, Butler graduated from Luray High School in 1982 and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Shepherd College in 1986. He attained a Juris Doctorate three years later from George Mason University School of Law.
“After practicing [law] in Winchester and South Boston, Virginia; I returned to Page County in 2000,” the letter continues. “Since then, I have been committed to working to improve my home, serving as a volunteer with the Luray Lions Club, the Boy Scouts of America, the United Way of Page County and Choices of Page County. I am a member of Luray United Methodist Church. I serve as a member of the Luray Town Council. I raised my children here and I am committed to making Page County the best place it can be.”
Current commonwealth attorney Cave served as assistant commonwealth attorney under now-General District Court Judge Kenneth L. Alger II. When the General Assembly confirmed Alger to take the place of retiring Judge Dale Houff of Luray in March of 2022, Cave served as the interim commonwealth’s attorney for the county until a special election was held that November. The next year, Cave won a second uncontested race to secure a full, four-year term that extends through Dec. 31, 2027.
A circuit court judge is expected to make an appointment to the constitutional office in the coming weeks that will last through the end of the year. The winner of a special election in November will then carry the office to full term through Dec. 31, 2027.
“I am a lifelong fiscal conservative,”Butler states in his letter. “I served as Vice Chairman of the Page County Republican Party for eight years and as Chairman for two years.
“I know some people will be concerned that after 35 years as a defense council I will have a hard time serving as a prosecutor,” the letter continues. “I believe that I have always tried to do my ethical duty to my clients. However, I must say that I have had many cases in my career where I have gotten plea offers from different Commonwealth Attorneys that I thought I would never offer if I was the prosecutor. I will take every case individually; weighing the merits of the case and the wishes of the victim to decide what outcome is appropriate and then I will work hard to see that outcome achieved. One of the most important parts of being Commonwealth Attorney is trying jury trials, and I have won acquittal for my clients in my last five jury trials.”
Butler recently won his first term on the Luray Council in November. That term extends through Dec. 31, 2028. The councilman’s letter did not make it clear if he would step down from his council seat, if successful in his bid to become commonwealth’s attorney.
“I must admit I am not perfect. During the pandemic in a moment of stress I made a mistake. That mistake resulted in my getting a reprimand from the Bar and a misdemeanor conviction. I admitted what I did and accepted the punishment from the Bar and Court,” Butler admits in his April 11 letter. “I think that experience allowed me to see the criminal process from a side most prosecutors never see. It will help have an understanding that we are all human and sometimes make mistakes. However, when we make mistakes, we must admit our wrongdoing and accept the consequences of that mistake.”
“If elected, I will streamline the system and will be prepared to provide discovery at the beginning of the case not mid-way through. I ask for your support and your vote in this election.”
At this time, it appears that Butler is the only candidate to publicly announce his candidacy.
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