On September 22, 2025, Attorney Dillon Sharpe appeared in Durham County District Court with one of our clients facing serious charges—Felony Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, Misdemeanor Failure to Disperse, and Misdemeanor Resisting a Public Officer—stemming from the April 16, 2025 protest for better housing conditions at North Carolina Central University (NCCU).
That day, students gathered on Brant Street—an area approved by campus officials—to peacefully protest unsafe housing conditions. Chanting “No housing, no peace,” they exercised their constitutional rights to free speech and protest. Instead of protecting those rights, law enforcement—including NCCU Police, Durham Police, UNC Chapel Hill Police, and the Durham County Sheriff’s Office—surveilled, grabbed, and arrested protesters without lawful authority.
Body camera footage released to the public confirms what students reported: officers forcibly grabbed protesters, including our client, who was thrown to the ground by two NCCU officers after picking up a megaphone. She suffered injuries as a direct result of the assault.
When Judge Orlin Hall denied the State’s Motion to Continue, the prosecution dismissed all charges against the Durham 5. Everyone walked out of the courtroom free.
This victory, however, comes with a warning: the State could still pursue an indictment through a Grand Jury, particularly if they argue that an officer’s ballistic vest counts as a “physical injury.” That decision now rests with the Durham County District Attorney’s Office.
What cannot be ignored are the harms already inflicted:
- Students disciplined by NCCU for protesting
- One student losing housing
- A professor losing their job
- Community members facing criminal charges for the first time in their lives
For now, dismissal is a huge step forward, and we remain steadfast in supporting our clients and community. The fight isn’t just for the Durham 5—it’s for the right of every student and community member to speak truth to power without fear of criminalization.