news

Nationally, the focus this week was on the sentencing of Ariel Castro, the Cleveland man who imprisoned three women in his home for years and sexually assaulted them. Castro spoke on his own behalf, stating that he “is not a violent person” but is simply “sick,” and claiming that he and his captives lived in … Read more

The budget is done, the Senate has adjourned, and the House will adjourn this morning. I’ve already posted about one aspect of the budget, here, but it is hundreds of pages long and includes other significant provisions, including (1) closing four prisons (Duplin, Robeson, Bladen, and Wayne), and Western Youth Institution, (2) funding “19 new … Read more

A North Carolina judge made the national news recently because of the sentence she imposed on a young woman who pled guilty to being drunk and disruptive and to resisting an officer. Halifax County Chief District Court Judge Brenda Branch gave 21-year-old Tonie Marie King a suspended sentence and ordered her to write a two-page … Read more

I’m rounding up the news today on the theory that for most people, today is the last work day of the week. I know it is for me. Here are some of the week’s top stories: 90-96 program discretionary again. Jamie noted last week that H 641 was “poised to become law,” and indeed, it … Read more

Pardon the brevity of this week’s roundup. I’m at a conference today and my blogging capacity is limited. But there were several important and interesting stories this week: 1. Prosecutors are asking the Governor to end the prison system’s policy of allowing certain well-behaved inmates have home visits as they near the end of their … Read more

The Racial Justice Act is nearing repeal. Both chambers of the General Assembly have passed S 306, an omnibus capital punishment bill that does away with the Act. Governor McCrory has previously criticized the Act, so a veto is not likely. The News and Observer editorializes against the repeal here. Assuming that the Act is … Read more

The top story of the week may be the impending repeal of the Racial Justice Act. On Wednesday, the House voted 77-39, mostly along party lines, in favor of the repeal bill. The Senate previously approved a slightly different version of the bill. It appears that the Senate plans to approve the House version next … Read more

There were so many important stories in North Carolina this week that I couldn’t pick just one as the headliner. Without further ado: Racial Justice Act Nears Repeal. A House committee approved S 306 this week. The bill would, among other things, repeal the Racial Justice Act. A vote in the full House is expected … Read more

The state Senate passed its budget this week. It’s different from the Governor’s budget and also from the House budget, so nothing is final and there’s plenty of negotiation left to be done. But the Senate budget has quite a few noteworthy features. It would eliminate Prisoner Legal Services, instead giving inmates access to computer … Read more