Blog
End Solitary in Durham
Our friend at Duke Divinity School, Meredith Manchester, has launched a petition calling on Durham residents to demand an end to solitary confinement at the Durham County jail. Sheriff Clarence Birkhead — who brands himself as a progressive — insists that “solitary...
Don’t Forget to Report the Police
Thanks to Attorneys Jaelyn Miller, Ian Mance, and Dillon Sharpe — along with Intern Jared Nava — Team Emancipate secured the dismissal of all charges this week for a client in Pitt County. This victory began with a report submitted through our Report the Police...
Emancipate NC Settles Alamance Protest Case
In 2019, members of the group Never Again Action held a traditional Jewish mourning ceremony outside the Alamance County Detention Center. The vigil was organized to honor the memory of immigrants who died in ICE custody during the first Trump administration. Without...
Register Today: In Our Court
Join us on Saturday, April 12, at NCCU Law School in Durham for a day-long conference dedicated to exploring the pivotal role of North Carolina’s judiciary in the fight for justice. The event will feature interactive sessions, panel discussions, and art installations...
Stop Cop City Atlanta
Jamie Marsicano, a former legal intern with Emancipate NC, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Atlanta Police Department alongside co-plaintiff Xavier T. de Janon. The suit challenges the department’s pattern of systemic arrests and pretextual charges targeting...
Join Us: 4/15 Day
On April 15, Emancipate NC’s Dedan Waciuri and Dillon Sharpe will be in Greenville to mark 4/15 Day, a statewide action bringing attention to AOC Form 415. This critical form requires judges to assess a defendant’s ability to pay court-imposed fines and fees—a small...
Raleigh Leans on Private Security Forces
In an attempt to crack down on nightlife, the City of Raleigh has been contracting with private security companies, a dangerous practice that puts the power of the State in unaccountable hands. The INDY Week interviewed Dawn Blagrove to get Emancipate NC’s perspective...
North Carolina State Troopers Were Lying
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman has dismissed 180 criminal cases after determining that two North Carolina state troopers—Garrett Macario and Matthew Morrison—lack credibility as witnesses. The decision follows a growing scandal uncovered during the...
Really! Don’t Plead to Weed
Emancipate NC attorney Dillon Sharpe secured a courtroom win on behalf of a Don’t Plead to Weed (DPTW) client in Wake County District Court. The client, who had no prior criminal record, was charged with Driving While License Revoked, Possession of a Schedule VI...
Darryl Williams Lawsuit Against Raleigh Proceeds
A federal judge has ruled that the lawsuit brought by the estate of Darryl Tyree Williams against the Raleigh Police Department can proceed, rejecting the City’s attempts to have the case dismissed. The court has ordered the parties to engage in mediation, with a...
Why We Still Have to Say Don’t Plead to Weed in the Era of Legalization
Commentary by Dedan Waciuri Decades of data reveal stark racial disparities in marijuana enforcement. Despite roughly equal rates of marijuana use across races, Black people are far more likely to be arrested for low-level cannabis offenses than white people. Between...
Vote for Us!
Emancipate NC has been nominated for INDY WEEK’s “Best Local Activist Group” in Raleigh! We’re honored to be recognized for our work in the fight for justice. See the following link to vote—your support means everything! Vote...
Stop the Coup
Emancipate NC is proud to co-sponsor the Stop The Coup Rally: “By Any Means Necessary” on March 29 in Wilmington, NC—the historic site of the 1898 coup, when white supremacists massacred Black citizens to overthrow the municipal...
DEI BLSA Campbell Law School Event
“Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” efforts are under attack. Don’t be misled! The fight against DEI is more than rhetoric—it’s a direct threat to our basic civil rights. Join the Black Law Student Association at Campbell Law...
News Observer Features Emancipate’s Protest Defense Work
Laura Saavedra Forero, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill and a well-known campus activist, participated in a constitutionally protected protest last fall. As a wheelchair user, she is easily identifiable in a crowd. Following the protest, UNC...