Broken Windows, Broken Lives Social scientists and criminologists understand there exists an inverse relationship between crime rates and the lack of enforcement of criminal laws. It’s called the Broken Windows Theory. The criminological explanation of the social decline theory goes like this. Signs of crime that are readily visible, indicative…
Prior to the passage of HB 972, the “Body Camera Bill” in 2015, there were legitimate concerns about the law and how it would be applied. Given the maelstrom that now exists in the Queen City regarding yet another “officer-involved shooting,” and the lack of transparency in the turning-over of…
Charlotte is on track to set a new homicide record in 2019. While quite a dubious distinction in and of itself, the developing metric fails to express the full nature and extent of a much larger problem in Mecklenburg County. The overall crime rate and criminality are on the verge…
Have an upcoming court appearance? A lot of people don’t have experience with legal matters. As such, it’s understandable you may not know what to expect, what to do, or how to act in court. That’s normal. Two of the most common questions we get is, “What should I expect…
News outlets continue to report a spate of DUI wrecks in the Carolinas. Contrary to the narrative spun by senior law enforcement officials, ride-sharing apps like UBER and Lyft have not eliminated the dangers of alcohol-related wrecks and deaths in Charlotte. Drunk driving fatalities have increased while the number of…
I sat there in church, angry. I tried to quiet my thoughts and focus on the purpose of being there. It was a cavernous sanctuary, which was necessary. Funerals for young people are well-attended. The vestiges of the Holy Roman Church came back to me without a second thought. It…
Let’s call him Andrew. We spent some time together last week. Quick to smile, self-deprecating, and genuinely appreciative as a client, I’ve liked him from the start. I could immediately see Andrew was agitated, but most people wouldn’t have picked up on that. I gave him the head nod and…
Brady and Giglio Material – Transparency in Motion for Discovery in NC The following legal reference materials are in addition to those previously posted by our law firm. While discovery materials pursuant to Brady v. Maryland supplement the NC criminal laws relevant to voluntary discovery or a Motion for Discovery, they are technically distinct from the…
The State of North Carolina (through the prosecutors) is required to turn over certain types of evidence to the accused (the Defendant in NC). Criminal lawyers in Charlotte, and other attorneys throughout the state, often refer to that as Giglio or exculpatory Brady material. Both Brady and Giglio, and the associated release of…
The likelihood of accidents involving alcohol, permanent injuries, and wrongful death claims associated with drunk driving in Charlotte continues to increase at a disturbing rate. The numbers don’t lie. There is an inverse relationship between drunken driving arrests and “accidents.” Put simply, alcohol-related fatalities (wrecks) increase as DWI arrests decrease.…