Blog
Judge Denies Relief – Appeals Continue in Racial Justice Act Cases
Judge Erwin Spainhour ruled on Jan. 25th that four prisoners in 2012 who were granted relief based on the Racial Justice Act could no longer use the RJA to appeal their re-sentencing from life to death. Judge Spainhour’s decision will be appealed. The RJA was passed in 2009 and in 2012, Judge Greg Weeks found […]
Re-entry Grants Awarded
In mid-January, the Department of Public Safety awarded Re-entry contracts to four additional “Intermediate Agencies” areas of the state. Five areas are currently funded. The new areas and agencies are: Leading into New Communities – New Hanover Durham County – Durham Family Resource Center South Atlantic – Wake Freedom Life Ministries – McDowell Agencies received […]
Mental Health and Criminal Justice Collaboration Grant
BJA has issued two grant applications: The first, due March 14 is for a Second Chance Act Re-entry Program for Adults with Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders. Applicants must be able to “track participants and gain access to – and report “recidivism data – particularly returns to incarceration.” If you are interested in applying […]
Senate Rules on Gov. Cooper's Cabinet Confirmation – Part 2
After issuing a very general set of Rules in early January that will govern the manner in which the Senate would give advice and consent, Gov. Roy Cooper’s cabinet appointees, President Pro Tem Phil Berger appears to be prepared to provide more specifics about the process. Gov. Cooper’s team has pointed out that there is […]
Senate Rules on Gov. Cooper's Cabinet Confirmation
When the General Assembly convened for the long session on January 11, 2017, the atmosphere among the legislators was congenial and light. A far cry from the atmosphere during the special sessions that rounded out 2016. While most of the day was swearing ins, lofty speeches, and ceremony, the Senate adopted one very important and […]
Charleston Case Ends in Death Sentence
Dylan Roof was sentenced to death on January 11 for the murder of 9 parishioners during Bible study at Mother Emanuel Baptist Church. Roof was sentenced for crimes that caused untold suffering to the nine families of those at Mother Emanuel, the surviving victims and the entire community. Roof seemed so intent on not allowing […]
Judge Orders Release of Police Shooting Video
The police body cam law was put to the test in Charlotte last week and earned an “A” for public access. Mecklenburg County Superior Court Judge Jesse Caldwell ordered all Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department body and dash cam video to be released in connection with the June 2 police shooting of Rodney Rodriguez Smith, a teenage […]
Death Penalty More Likely When Victim is White
An article entitled These Lives Matter, Those Ones Don’t: Comparing Execution Rates by the Race and Gender of the Victim in the US and in the Top Death Penalty States, recently published in the Albany Law Review, tackles data on how the race of a victim impacts the imposition of the death penalty. What the […]
Conference on Jails and Mental Health
December 16, 2016, North Carolina Council on Community Programs kicked off its 2016 conference with a very informative pre-conference session on the community & LME/MCO role in reducing the number of people with mental illness in jail. Information on the Stepping Up Initiative was presented from National, State, and Local perspectives. There are about 28 […]
General Assembly Second Surprise Special Session Adjourns With No Repeal of the Bathroom Law
What many political activists thought would be an early holiday gift turned out to be a lump of coal. The North Carolina General Assembly returned to Raleigh last Wednesday under the auspices of repealing the notorious Bathroom Law that hangs, like an anchor, around the neck of North Carolina’s economy and reputation around the country […]
Lawsuits Challenging General Assembly Power Grab Start Rolling In
As promised by Governor Elect Cooper, the lawsuits challenging the laws passed during the surprise special session have already started to be filed. As of the drafting of this article, two lawsuits have already been filed, with the promise of more to come. For a refresher on what laws were passed during the special session, […]
Governor Roy Cooper
It’s official! On January 1, 2017, Roy Cooper was sworn in as Governor of North Carolina. He took his oath of office minutes after the start of the new year. He will have his public inauguration ceremony next week. Governor Cooper has his work cut out for him and there is so much work to […]
NC Institute on Medicine Issues Recommendations
The North Carolina Institute of Medicine’s (NCIOM) Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use recently presented recommendations to the Joint Committee on Health and Human Services. The NCIOM is funded by the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, with the goal of developing recommendations to increase and improve community-based and evidence-informed prevention, treatment, and recovery […]
Update on Governor's Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use Pilot Programs
The legislative Committee on Health and Human Services recently received a November update about pilot programs developed from the Governor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use. Dr. Jason Vogler, Director of The Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services outlined with greater specificity how the funds will be allocated. The […]
McCrory Concedes Governor's Race to Roy Cooper
At noon on December 5, 2016, Gov. Pat McCrory conceded the Governor’s race to Roy Cooper after a hotly contested race and post-election battle in which Gov. McCrory alleged voter fraud. Over the weekend, Durham County had been required to begin recounting its votes and with over half the votes counted by Monday morning, the […]