Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 25, 1995                   TAG: 9502270034
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: KENNETH SINGLETARY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

KEITH SEEKS RE-ELECTION AS PROSECUTOR

Keith, 44, said his announcement was not related to Blacksburg lawyer Joe Painter's decision not to seek the post. Painter made that news public on Thursday.

"I'm just anxious and eager to go ahead and get my name out," said Keith, a Democrat. The county's Democrats are having a dinner March 4 "and I wanted my announcement to be out prior to the dinner."

Keith was appointed to be commonwealth's attorney when J. Patrick Graybeal was appointed juvenile and domestic relations judge in 1989. At that time he was Graybeal's assistant, a position he had held for 11 years.

In 1991, Keith ran against Painter, a Republican, receiving 63 percent of the vote.

Keith, who has undergone two surgeries for a brain tumor in recent years, said he is feeling fine.

"My doctor has cleared me to do anything I want to do."

Though his left side is a little weak and he walks with a cane, Keith said he works six days a week, and his doctor told him that he "should have no problem running."

The benign tumor was identified in 1983, and Keith had surgery in 1992. A follow-up operation in March 1994 removed most of the remainder of the tumor.

Keith is the son of J. Edwin Keith, a former member of the county's Planning Commission. He is a graduate of Auburn High School, Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia law school.

In his announcement, Keith cited the convictions he won in several high-profile murder and rape trials. In 1990 he received a commendation for the collection of $38,000 in delinquent child support, at the time the largest such case in the state. He has also started a program that has collected thousands of dollars in unpaid court costs and fines.

Radford lawyer Joey Showalter is expected to announce next week that he will seek the Republican nomination to run for the position.

Keywords:
POLITICS