Unapologetic: Prosecutor defends record while critics take aim

Sep 20

Jim Camblos has been the Albemarle County commonwealth's attorney for almost 16 years, deciding which cases to prosecute– or not.

Now that he's running for his fifth four-year term, his decisions to prosecute are coming under close scrutiny. Local blogger Waldo Jaquith, for instance, recently blasted Camblos for charging four UVA students with "brandishing a firearm" when they were using a broken BB gun to make an on-campus film. And Jaquith's site, cvillenews, called Camblos' decision to prosecute four teens "ludicrous" in what became derided as the "smoke bomb" case.

"I've always been willing to make difficult decisions," says Camblos, and he disputes the notion that he's controversial: "I don't think I am, and the general public in Albemarle doesn't think I am, either."

He suggests that people who criticize his performance either don't live in Albemarle County– or are a "certain segment of the media."

Whether any fall-out from those two prosecutions will affect Republican Camblos' November bid for another term is hard to say, but they did produce his first serious opponent since 1995: Democrat Denise Lunsford.

"I felt the overall quality of representation provided to the people of Albemarle County was not up to par," says Lunsford, explaining her candidacy.

One thing is certain: while Camblos may have his detractors, his supporters are fiercely loyal.

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