NORTH CAROLINA-DEPUTY SHOOTING

Lawyers: Black man didn’t drive into deputies who shot him

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (AP) — Lawyers for relatives of a Black man fatally shot by North Carolina deputies say body camera videos show that he didn’t strike them with his car before they opened fire, contradicting a local prosecutor. Chance Lynch is a lawyer who viewed the footage in private with Andrew Brown Jr.’s family. He says Brown was sitting in his stationary car with his hands on the wheel when the first shot was fired. Family members were shown approximately 18 minutes of footage Tuesday under a judge’s order. The family’s lawyers say the videos contradict statements by the local district attorney, who said deputies didn’t start firing until after Brown’s vehicle struck them twice.

DONOR IDENTITIES

Bill preventing disclosure of donor IDs passes NC Senate

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Senate has agreed on a party-line vote to a Republican measure designed to keep the names of donors to nonprofits confidential. The bill approved on Tuesday also would make clear a donor’s identifying information is not a public record when held by a government agency. A government worker could face a crime if it’s disclosed. A bill sponsor, said the measure is designed to protect the privacy of donors in light of efforts by attorneys general in other states to obtain donor information from nonprofits. Democrats said they’re worried the bill could further concealed giving to “dark money” political groups.

RACIAL INJUSTICE

Details still getting worked on NC criminal justice reform

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — An array of groups and elected officials from both major parties support criminal justice reforms in North Carolina, but plenty of details still must be worked out. Legislators and representatives of these groups praised action so far by the House and Senate during a Tuesday news conference.   Speakers emphasized four bills — three that passed the House last week and one omnibus measure that’s expected to clear the Senate this week. One question is whether House members will accept additional items contained in the Senate bill or insist on narrower changes. The future of police body camera changes in the Senate measure is also unclear.

HOG FARMS

Farm bill passing NC Senate includes new biogas permits

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The annual farm bill has been approved by the North Carolina Senate. The Republican-written measure passed Tuesday on a party-line vote despite criticism of a provision that likely would make it easier for livestock operations to seek and obtain permits to convert liquid waste into natural gas. Currently these operators seek individual permits. The bill proposes that state regulators issue general permits that are considered more streamlined. The pork industry supports the change. Opponents say the measure now heading to the House would make it harder to rid the industry of putrid waste lagoon systems in the long term.

ABORTION

‘Born-alive’ abortion measure clears N. Carolina Senate

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s Senate has approved a bill to require doctors to provide the same duty of care for children born alive after attempted abortions that they would for any other newborn child. Those who fail to make such effort to safeguard a child born after an abortion attempt could face civil penalties and be charged with a misdemeanor. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper rejected a similar measure in 2019. Democrats and abortion rights groups fear the bill approved Tuesday by the Senate would stifle a woman’s right not to carry out her pregnancy. The latest proposal now heads to the House.

FAKE LAWYER-SENTENCING

Judge sentences co-founder of ‘Students for Trump’ to prison

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has sentenced a co-founder of “Students for Trump” to 13 months in prison after he admitted posing as a lawyer to cheat clients out of thousands of dollars. U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni rejected efforts to portray John Tyler Lambert as naive and a victim of a co-conspirator. She called his work on behalf of former President Donald Trump a wonderful thing because it kept young people engaged in government. She said he showcased leadership skills to organize support at a college that mostly shunned Trump. But she said his fraud warranted time behind bars.

EDUCATION BILL-TEACHING RACE

N.C. Republicans push bill to limit teaching of race, racism

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republicans are moving quickly to advance a proposal to prevent schools from promoting several concepts about race and racism. It comes as a last-minute substitute to a charter school reopening bill Tuesday. Republicans say the bill isn’t about rewriting history. Democrats are accusing GOP leaders of not allowing kids to learn about racism in the country. The measure must be approved in the House by Thursday to be considered this legislative session. The bill comes as lawmakers in a number of states this year have debated how and whether systemic racism should be taught in public schools.

UNIVERSITY PLEDGE

Hartwig family makes $800K pledge to Mississippi school

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — The University of Southern Mississippi is celebrating a donation to its College of Public Health in honor of the college’s founder. Dr. Geoff Hartwig and his wife, Dr. Marcia Hartwig, of Raleigh, North Carolina, have pledged more than $800,000 to the school in honor of Dr. Lynn Cook Hartwig, who was director of the college until breast cancer forced her to retire in 1995. Lynn Hartwig, Geoff Hartwig’s first wife, died the next year. She was 48. Lachel Story, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, said the gift will honor Lynn Hartwig’s legacy and open opportunities for students in areas like funding.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.