Commonwealth’s Attorney Candidate Descano Applauds Attorney General Herring’s Call for Marijuana Decriminalization
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA – Steve Descano, Democratic nominee for Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney and former federal prosecutor, is applauding Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring’s recent call for the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Descano said, “I’m proud of Attorney General Herring’s call to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana and move towards legal and regulated use of marijuana. Our values should be at the forefront of our criminal justice system. That’s why, since day one of my campaign for Commonwealth’s Attorney, I’ve pushed for an end to the over incarceration of individuals for this low-level, victimless infraction. The human and social costs of prosecuting individuals for possessing small amounts of marijuana are enormous and those costs disproportionately fall on people on color. This is to say nothing of the money wasted on these prosecutions. For these reasons, I have committed to not prosecuting simple possession of marijuana cases. I look forward to working with Attorney General Herring to create a unified statewide approach to marijuana that uses resources more wisely and creates a more fair, just, and equal criminal justice system. It’s important that we root out outmoded, ineffective policies and reforming our approach to marijuana is an important part of that work.”
Steve Descano recently won the Democratic nomination in Fairfax County to be the next Commonwealth’s Attorney. Descano was the highest vote-getter in the recent, countywide primary election and has gained proud support from local elected officials, advocacy groups, labor unions, and community leaders.
Steve is a former federal prosecutor under the Obama Administration, a former Army officer and graduate of West Point, and he lives in Burke with his wife of 15 years, Ryanne, and their daughter Charlotte, 7. For more information about Steve’s vision for the office of Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney and to sign up for his email list, visit www.SteveDescano.com. Also, connect with Steve on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up-to-date about campaign announcements and events.
The Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney is the lead prosecutor for the county, heading an office of prosecutors that takes on thousands of cases every year. The Commonwealth’s Attorney determines how the office handles those cases, including the office’s policies on charging, pleas, and sentencing, among other issues. An elected position, the Commonwealth’s Attorney serves four-year terms and is elected in non-gubernatorial state elections. This position represents all of Fairfax County, as well as the City of Fairfax.
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