Chesapeake considers not prosecuting

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) - Some crimes in Chesapeake may not get prosecuted because the city's finances are strained.

The city's revised budget calls for habitual drunkenness, stalking and animal abuse to make the list of "non-mandated prosecution" as Chesapeake faces a budget deficit that could reach $6 million.

Chesapeake Commonwealth's Attorney Nancy Parr tells media outlets that domestic violence offenses and misdemeanor sexual assaults could be added to the list if the budget is cut any more.

The attorney's office is required to prosecute felonies, but not misdemeanors like D.U.I.s, domestic violence, stalking or animal abuse. The cases would still go to court but without a prosecutor to argue the law or obtain phone or medical records to submit into evidence.

"If they're not able to be convicted if they're not tried at all then really all they're doing is catching them and releasing them, it becomes this horrible revolving door," Parr said. "If I continue to lose employees I don't have the attorneys to prosecute the cases."

Budget Director Steven Jenkins told City Council says reducing prosecution of some crimes could save the commonwealth attorney's office $95,000.

Parr says despite the cuts, no one has been fired, although two-and-a-half attorney spots have stayed open since 2010.

The cutbacks are the latest the city has done to ease budget pressures. Others include reduced library hours, taller grass and fewer civilians in the police department.

Since 2010, Parr says the office has prosecuted on average:

• 150 - 175 misdemeanors on school property (including buses) a year
• 1500 - 2500 misdemeanor appeals a year
• 1000 - 1200 D.U.I. misdemeanors a year
• 500 - 550 domestic violence misdemeanors a year
• 110 - 150 other misdemeanors a year