by Shawn Nowlin
The process of replacing Roanoke’s longtime chief prosecutor was a rather seamless one.
Per data from the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys, Donald Caldwell is the second-longest serving chief prosecutor in Virginia history, trailing Prince William County’s Paul Ebert by just a few years. Appointed in 1979, because he scored 11 consecutive four-year terms, Caldwell ran unopposed in every race except his last two.
After winning the office in the last election, longtime chief assistant John McNeil began his term as Roanoke’s incoming prosecutor on Jan. 1.
Until Dec. 31, Caldwell occupied a room on the third floor of the Oliver W. Hill Justice Center. His expansive wooden desk was once owned by Virginia Circuit Court Judge Jack Coulter.
In Caldwell’s final years, he oversaw the operations on a $2 million annual budget. Since 2015, a yearly average of approximately 2,315 cases were assigned through the Roanoke Circuit Court.
For Caldwell, the term “all-encompassing” isn’t an exaggeration pertaining to his professional responsibilities. For more than four decades, he oversaw the case of every defendant in a Roanoke criminal prosecution in some capacity.
Caldwell’s formative years were spent in Botetourt County. His desire to become an attorney only strengthened once he became a teenager. After high school, Virginia Military Institute was next for the future Army Reserve Veteran. He later attended the University of Richmond School of Law.
The prologue of his legal career was spent as a public defender in Roanoke.
For years, Caldwell and Tony Anderson, a defense attorney, faced each other across local courtrooms. While disagreement was often between the two, the respect factor never wavered.
The same can be said for colleagues on both sides of the political aisle.
Reflecting on Caldwell’s career, Associate Broker at MKB Realtors, Roger Malouf said, “God knows, Donald and I had our differences over the years, but his integrity can never be questioned. He is the best Commonwealth Attorney that this city has ever had.”
Despite the rigors of the job, it wasn’t all work for Caldwell. A father to three adult children, spending quality time with loved ones has always been important to him.
While he is officially retired, Caldwell, 75, says he plans on returning to the office in a part-time capacity in the coming months to help behind the scenes.
“Don leaves behind an accomplished legacy,” James Harris said. “Moving forward, it’s going to be impossible to tell the story of Roanoke, Virginia, in the 20th and 21st centuries without mentioning his name.”
