Judge Spends Night In Jail With Man He Sentenced

Cumberland County, North Carolina Judge Lou Olivera, is a veteran.  He served in the Army as an intelligence officer.

Judge Lou Olivera

In 2014, Cumberland County opened the second veterans’ treatment court in the state. Judge Olivera became the presiding judge of the court, which had its first graduate in April 2016. Olivera explains the court in the second video below.

Cumberland County includes Fort Bragg, and a real need was recognized to understand combat veterans who get into trouble breaking the law.

Joe Serna is also a veteran.  He served three tours in Afghanistan as a Sargent First Class in the Green Berets.  Joe has two Purple Hearts.   Joe received such injuries that he was not allowed to return to the battlefield and was placed on desk duty.  Joe began drinking alcohol to numb the pain.

Joe Serna and Judge Lou Olivera did not meet under the best circumstances. They met because Joe had been convicted for drunk driving.  A condition of his probation was that he not drink.  Joe had to take a urine test and he lied about the results.

To hold him accountable, Judge Olivera sentenced Joe to one night in jail.

10 things you need to know today: March 31, 2017

The Fifth Column

Mario Tama/Getty Images

THE WEEK

1. Flynn offers Russia testimony in exchange for immunity President Trump’s former national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, has told the FBI and the House and Senate intelligence committees he will testify about possible ties between Trump’s campaign and Russia in exchange for immunity from “unfair prosecution,” his lawyer, Robert Kelner, said Thursday. “General Flynn certainly has a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit,” Kelner said. Flynn served as an adviser during Trump’s campaign and later as his national security adviser, but he resigned in February after it was revealed he communicated with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. before Trump’s inauguration as former President Barack Obama was preparing to announce sanctions against Russia over its meddling in the election. Source: Reuters, The Wall Street Journal

2. North Carolina lawmakers repeal controversial…

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Keith Lamont Scott killing: No charges against officer, DA says

If carrying a concealed weapon makes one a threat, then America is geared for slaughter on the streets.

MB3-org.com

Charlotte, North Carolina (CNN)The officer who fatally shot Keith Lamont Scott won’t face charges, a prosecutor said Wednesday, closing a two-month investigation into the killing that led to heated protests and divided the city of Charlotte.

Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray said he didn’t reach the decision alone; a total of 15 prosecutors unanimously agreed that Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Officer Brentley Vinson was justified in shooting Scott on September 20 in an apartment complex parking lot.

In his hour-long announcement, Murray refuted a series of “erroneous claims” made shortly after the shooting. He said those narratives fueled widespread misconceptions about what actually happened.

Among them:

— Scott’s relatives said he didn’t have a gun, but “all the credible evidence” led to the conclusion that Scott was armed, Murray said. He said Scott’s DNA was on the grip of a gun found at the scene.

Murray also said at least…

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The Killing of Keith Lamont Scott

Subtitled; How Charlotte–Mecklenburg Chief of Police Kerr Putney Has Messed Up.

The citizens of Charlotte, North Carolina, have no trust in Putney’s inconsistent representations.

There are times when it’s best to be quiet rather than exert one-side of a story to the public. Putney has shown that he accepts whatever his officers say and therefore, cannot be any part of an impartial investigation.

Keith Lamont Scott

Keith Lamont Scott was killed on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina.  There are so many conflicting points of view and reports that they make the head spin.

On September 22, 2016, Keith’s family was shown dash cam video.  The attorney for the family stated that the video shows that Keith was walking with both arms at his side, and no gun present.   Police Chief Kerr Putney refused to release the dash cam video to the public.

Keith’s wife took cell phone video and released it to the public yesterday.  News sources and social media arm-chair sleuths gave their opinions on what the video shows.  There was lots of jumping to conclusions because the cell phone video shows an officer standing at the passenger side window of a truck.  Some analyzing that video said that the officer would have been able to see that Keith was holding a gun by standing at that window of Keith’s truck.

Now, we learn that the officer was not standing at Keith’s truck, but he was standing at a truck parked on the opposite side of the street from where Keith was parked.

On the cell phone video, we hear an officer shouting for Keith to put down the gun.  On the dash cam video, Keith comes out of his truck and walks backwards with both arms at his side.  His hands are holding nothing.

It has not yet been explained how a person sitting in a car is to drop a gun when putting it out of the window can lead to the same assumption that it is being pointed with intent to fire.

David Allen Explains What Is Happening With North Carolina’s Bathroom Law

California attorney David Allen packs loads of information into the following 4 minute video.   He addresses the legislative branch and executive branch and its importance in enforcing or not enforcing the law.

 

 

N.C.’s Sweeping Anti-Gay Law Goes Way Beyond Targeting LGBTs

So, North Carolina uses state rights to pass a law that discriminates against LGBT’s, and in the same statue, removes state rights to sue for employment discrimination, leaving people to use the federal option.

The Fifth Column

AP Photo / Emery P. Dalesio

TPMNEWS

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) late Wednesday night signed rushed legislation that, as is widely known, eliminates local governments’ ability to pass anti-discrimination measures to protect gay and transgender individuals. But what received less immediate attention was that the new law guts workplace discrimination protections for virtually everyone.

A section of the new law alters the state’s law that had allowed private sector employees to sue their employers under state law discrimination on the basis of of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex or handicap.

“It takes away a right that people have had for 30 years,” Bill Rowe, the director of advocacy at the North Carolina Justice Center told TPM on Friday. “It’s a pretty big change that caught us all by surprise.”

Due to differences between filing a suit in federal court, as opposed to state court, this…

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Justice for Jonathan Ferrell – Closing Arguments

We are following the trial of Randall (Wes) Kerrick the Charlotte/Mecklenburg police officer charged with voluntary manslaughter in the killing of unarmed Jonathan Ferrell.

Closing arguments are scheduled for today.  It will be live streamed. I’ve found conflicting times.  Court Chatter has their live stream scheduled for 8:30 a.m.  A news source reports that closing arguments are scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. EST.

The link to court chatter is http://www.courtchatter.com/#!randall-kerrick-trial-stream-1/c6ga. 

Some live streams have horrible sound, so I will continue to look to see if other sources are live streaming.  If anyone else finds another source, please post the link in comments.

Justice for Jonathan Ferrell – Kerrick Trial Continues

We are following the trial of Randall (Wes) Kerrick, an officer with the Charlotte/Mecklenburg, NC police department, who is charged with voluntary manslaughter for killing Jonathan Ferrel.

The videos below include a recap of the case,  a portion Kerrick’s testimony last week, and the prosecutor’s cross-examination questioning his inconsistencies.

If you’re interested in what has been covered of the trial already, please use the search on the right-side border for “Jonathan Ferrell.”

 

Justice for Jonathan Ferrell – Kerrick’s Trial – Prosecution Rests

Suspended without pay, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Randall (Wes) Kerrick is on trial for killing unarmed Jonathan Ferrell in September 2013. He is charged with voluntary manslaughter and if convicted, faces up to 11 years in prison.

Captain Mike Campagna

Yesterday, the prosecution rested with a powerful witness. Captain Mike Campagna of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department testified. Captain Campagna formerly handled training for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

Captain Campagna began his testimony by showing the jury how a taser works and when officers should and should not use it.

$2.25 Million to the Family of Jonathan Ferrell

The City of Charlotte, North Carolina, has agreed to a settlement with the family of Jonathan Ferrell.

Jonathan Ferrell

Jonathan, a 24-year-old former football player at Florida A&M University, wrecked his Toyota Camry in a subdivision northwest of Charlotte sometime after 2 a.m. on Sept. 14, 2013. It is presumed that he went looking for help, as a woman called 911 and reported that someone was knocking and kicking on her door. Jonathan walked away from the house back to his car, and three officers showed up. One officer, Randall Kerrick, pulled his gun and fired 12 shots, 10 of which hit Ferrell. Most recently reported is that the other two officers, both Black, did not draw their weapons.

Georgia Ferrell, Jonathan’s mother, said that the family will now turn their attention to the voluntary manslaughter trial of officer Randall Kerrick. It is scheduled to being July 20, 2015.

Two Police Involved Killings In Two Weeks in Gastonia North Carolina

On February 7, 2015, 74-year old James Howard Allen was home recovering from heart surgery. Family members were concerned about his well-being. They had not been able to reach him and asked the police to make a welfare check. An officer arrived at the address, but there was no answer at the door.

The Gastonia Fire Department and Gaston Emergency Medical Services were asked to check on James’ house.  The Fire Department opened the back door and officers say that James was found holding a handgun pointed in the direction of the door. Officer Josh Lefevers, who was hired by the Gastonia Police Department in August 2012, fatally shot James. Lefevers is on administrative leave pending investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

13-Year Old Shot Dead By Convicted Felon

Nathan Andrew Clark

Nathan Andrew Clark was staying in the Comfort Suites hotel while participating in the Capital Area Soccer League tournament in Lewisville, North Carolina. He was lying down in his hotel room when a woman called 911, saying that she “had no idea” what happened but that he was bleeding profusely from a bump on the back of his head. She thought that he might have hit his head.

In a nearby room was Randall Louis Vater, who as recently as October 25^th, was in police custody. Vater is a convicted felon, but was in possession of a firearm that he said was accidentally discharged and traveled through the wall, killing Nathan. Vater’s time in prison included violating a restraining order, making threats, and a hit-and-run. He is currently held at the Wake County Detention Center, charged with involuntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Not the Blind Side –Black Foster Child Attacked By Cops In His Own Home

The Blind Side

In 2009 movie “The Blind Side,” is a semi-biographical film about the life of Michael Oher, and offensive lineman who plays for the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. Oher has an impoverished upbringing, but high prospects in college football, and was without parents and homeless when he met Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. Oher, who is Black, was adopted by the Tuohy’s, who are White. Actress Sandra Bullock won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film, and the Screen Actors Guild for Outstanding Performance by a Female in a leading role. The film itself received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Tim McGraw played the role of Sean Tuohy.

When I heard about DeShawn Currie of Wake County, North Carolina, (just south of Raleigh) I immediately thought of the movie, “The Blind Side,” although for DeShawn, it was not classmates that made him feel unwelcomed – it was the cops. For about a year, DeShawn has lived with his foster parents Ricky and Stacy Tyler, who are White.  They moved into their new home in July.

DeShawn Currie

DeShawn came home from school the other day.  A neighbor profiled him as “suspicious” and called 911. When the cops arrived, DeShawn asked them why they were there? He told them that he lives there. The cops looked at photos on the wall and seeing that the photos are of White people, accused DeShawn of lying.

Officer Who Killed Jonathan Ferrell Indicted For Voluntary Manslaughter

Jonathan Ferrell

In September 2013, 24-year old Jonathan Ferrell had a car accident.  After crashing his car into trees, Ferrell kicked out the back window of the vehicle and headed up a hill to the first set of houses he could see. He went to a house where the occupant called police reporting a breaking and entering.   When the police arrived, Ferrell had walked back to his car and was shot 10 times by Charlotte, NC officer Randall Kerrick.  Kerrick was arrested.