Challenger To Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano Announces Campaign

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — An attorney who has represented police officers in police use-of-force cases is running for Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney against Steve Descano.

Descano, a progressive who has introduced reforms in the prosecutor's office since being elected in 2019, is running for a second term. In the Democratic primary, Descano will face challenger Ed Nuttall, whose campaign announcement was covered by WJLA.

At the campaign announcement, Nuttall said he is seeking to return "confidence and professionalism" to the prosecutor's office.

"The rights of victims of violent crimes and defendants' rights alike are being negatively impacted by the lack of experience, lack of prosecutors in the current prosecutor's office," said Nuttall in the campaign announcement.

SEE ALSO: Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano Seeks Re-Election In 2023

Nuttall is an attorney at Carroll & Nuttall. According to the law firm's website, Nuttall has represented police in over 20 police shooting cases since 2002 and has served as general counsel to the Fraternal Order of Police Fairfax Lodge 77.

One of his clients was Tyler Timberlake, an officer who used a stun gun, on Lamonta Gladney, a Black man, on Fordson Road in Gum Springs, according to the Washington Post. The June 2020 incident, captured on body-worn camera video, resulted in Timberlake being found not guilty by a grand jury on misdemeanor assault and battery charges. Descano had prosecuted the case and criticized the case's result. However, a civil suit was settled with Gladney.

According to Carroll & Nuttall's website, Nuttall also has experience as a prosecutor in cases such as DUI, reckless driving, domestic assault, sex crimes, violent crimes and more. He has also been an instructor as the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy, which trains law enforcement recruits.

Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid joined the campaign kickoff to endorse Nuttall. Sen. Chap Petersen, who is running for re-election in the redrawn 37th Senate District, also endorsed Nuttall.

Descano, along with Arlington County Commonwealth's Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti and Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj, had been elected in 2019 with progressive platforms. All three face Democratic primary election challengers, according to the Post.

The primary election will be on June 20, 2023. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 7, 2023.