Blog
Finding the Blood on North Carolina’s Hands in Montgomery, Alabama
It wasn’t until I saw the coffin-sized metal box above my head with the name Wake County on it that I froze. My body could no longer move, as tears streamed silently down my cheeks. The box bore three simple pieces of data: the name of the county I had lived in for much of my life, the name George Taylor, and the date he was mutilated, shot over 100 times, and hung from a tree by four white men: November 5, 1918.
Prison Safety Issues in North Carolina Indicative of Larger, National Issue
The prison safety issues in North Carolina are representative of a larger, national issue. Federal prisons nationwide are understaffed and have been so for some time. However, the hiring freeze at the beginning of the Trump administration and emphasis on reducing the size of both the government and the budget has intensified the problem under the Trump administration.
Raleigh Community Calls For Civilian Police Oversight Board
The Police Accountability Community Taskforce, or PACT, is calling for the creation of an official community police oversight board in Raleigh. The Carolina Justice Policy Center and an advocacy group called Save Our Sons are also working with PACT.
Durham County Jail Suicide Hazards
From 1998 to 2017, 12 people committed suicide in the Durham County jail by hanging themselves from window bars or ventilation grates. Although public records show that Durham County officials were aware of the suicide hazards, the last updates are just now being finished to fix these hazards. Although 144 of 576 windows were fixed […]
North Carolina Expands Opportunities for Certificates of Relief
In mid-June, the North Carolina Senate passed House Bill 774, “Amend Certificates of Relief.” Courts can issue “certificates of relief” to individuals. With this certificate, if that person is hired and commits a crime involving their job or employer, the employer is not held liable. Because the new law gives people with criminal records more […]
Proposed NC Constitutional Amendments
As the 2018 legislative session draws to a close, the General Assembly has introduced a slew of proposed constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot for voters in the fall. This move comes before elections that threaten the Republican supermajority in both houses. Overriding vetoes from the governor and amending the constitution both require […]
Wake County Judge Orders the Release of Law Enforcement Video in Police Beating Case
Judge A. Graham Shirley of Wake County has ordered certain video and audio recordings from the Wake County Sheriff department, Raleigh police department, and state troopers to be released. They are now available to be viewed by the public.
Two State Troopers Indicted for Beating Wake Co. Man Fired
Two State Highway Patrol Troopers indicted for the brutal beating of Kyron Hinton have been fired. N.C. troopers Michael G. Blake and Tabithia L. Davis were terminated, resulting from an internal department investigation. Read more about the firings here.
NCGA Try to Force ID for Voting…AGAIN
Despite being told that it is unconstitutional to require and ID for voting, NC General Assembly is trying again to force an voting ID requirement on the citizens of North Carolina. This time they are trying to use a constitutional amendment, that will appear on Novembers ballot, to make showing ID mandatory for voters in […]
Raise The Age Legislation a Hollow Victory Without Funding
Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a budget , sent to him by the Republican controlled legislature, despite knowing his veto would likely be overridden. Cooper felt that the budget did not do enough for educators or to protect the environment and was too generous to corporations and the wealthy. But, for people who care about criminal […]
On the Criminalization of Immigrants: Behind the Dangerous Rhetoric of Family Separation as Punishment
When I am not at work advocating for criminal justice reform, I spend the vast majority of my time with my son. He is about a year and a half. For the past week or so, as I spend time with him, I think about the children who are around his age who are in […]
Free Criminal Record Expunction Seminar and Legal Help
On Saturday, June 9, from 12pm to 2pm, there will be a criminal record expunction seminar and free legal assistance offered at the Holton Community Center Auditorium, 401 N. Driver Street, Durham NC 27703. The 30 minute seminar will cover criminal record expunctions, certificates of relief, and driver’s license restoration. Following the seminar, attendees can […]
New Podcast: Columnist Nicholas Kristof on 'The Framing of Kevin Cooper'
On May 20, Nicholas Kristof wrote the longest opinion piece in New York Times history about Kevin Cooper, a California death row prisoner. Evidence in his case suggests that he was framed by evidence planted by the San Bernadino police. Kristof spoke with Robert Dunham, the director of the Death Penalty Information Center, for the […]
Harris County DA Stops Prosecuting Drug Cases Involving Small Amounts
Kim Ogg, the District Attorney of Harris County, Texas, has made the decision to stop prosecuting cases with very small amounts of drugs, known as “trace cases.” Ogg ran on a promise to make these changes in her 2014 campaign and successful 2016 campaign for District Attorney, and hopes to make better use of resources […]
New Durham DA's Goals are Transparency and Accountability
Satana Deberry won the primary on May 8 to become the next District Attorney for Durham County, unseating incumbent District Attorney Roger Echols. She will begin her term in January. Deberry, who has done criminal justice advocacy and policy work for 18 years, ran as a reform candidate, recognizing issues such money bail, police accountability, […]