Colette Wallace McEachin was raised by loving parents—a dad who became an Army Colonel and a mom who taught in public schools for over 30 years.  Colette’s parents taught her the importance of public service, even at a time when their country did not treat them with the human dignity they deserved.  In search of opportunity, Colette’s parents moved from segregated South Carolina to Connecticut, where they found  a community in the NAACP, AKA, and The Boulé.  And it was her parents’ lives and the New Haven Black Panther Trials that sparked a sense of duty toward justice for Colette and set her on a path to becoming a lawyer right here in Richmond

Colette was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond in November, 2019. She is the first woman and the first African-American woman ever elected Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney. She has worked in that office for over 25 years. Prior to her election she was the Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney responsible for supervising prosecutors in the General District Courtrooms that handle misdemeanor crimes, felony preliminary hearings, and traffic cases. She also supervised felony sexual assault cases and the Office’s community-based Sector prosecutors. She has prosecuted crimes at every level, from domestic violence to burglaries, rape and homicides. Colette graduated from Brown University and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law.