North Carolina News – May 4, 2022

North Carolina News – May 4, 2022

APPEALS COURT-NEW TRIALS

NC appeals court orders new trials in murder cases

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s intermediate appeals court have ordered new trials for two men convicted separately of first-degree murder. One Court of Appeals panel ruled Tuesday that Tevin Demetrius Vann was entitled to a new trial involving the 2016 death of Ashley McLean in Wilmington. The court says the trial judge erred when he declined to provide deliberating jurors the chance to review trial testimony, particularly of the defendant. Another panel ordered a new trial for Travis Davenport. He was convicted in the 2016 death of Mike Griffin in Martin County. At issue was admitted evidence about Davenport’s prior incarceration, gang involvement and tattoos.

JAIL SUICIDES

North Carolina sheriff seeks investigation after 4th suicide

WENTWORTH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina sheriff is calling for an investigation after an inmate at the county jail died from a self-inflicted injury, the fourth suicide reported in 15 months. The News & Record of Greensboro reported Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to lead a look into the latest death, which is standard procedure. The sheriff’s office will also conduct an internal investigation to determine whether any agency policies or procedures were violated. Jail officers found an inmate had attempted to kill themselves and despite giving aid, the inmate died of what was described as an “apparent self-inflicted injury.″

CHILD’S DEATH-WOMEN CHARGED

Mother, grandmother charged in child’s death at motel.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Police say a mother and grandmother have been charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse after a 3-year-old child was found dead in a North Carolina motel. Asheville police say in a news release that 29-year-old Chantarica Nasha Matthews and 50-year-old Inga Torrence Matthews also are charged with concealment of death. They’re being held in the Buncombe County jail without bond on the murder charge. Patrol officers who were sent to a motel on Monday afternoon found a small child lying dead on the floor and two women in the room. Investigators said the child appeared to be extremely malnourished.

MURDER CONVICTION

North Carolina man sentenced in death of woman he dated

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina man faces a maximum sentence of 43 years in prison after pleading guilty in the death of a woman he had been dating in 2019. WECT reports 33-year-old Jermaine Pompey pleaded guilty on Tuesday to second-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Quinchelle Carr. Pompey had been charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Authorities said Carr’s body was found in her apartment on the morning of May 18, 2019. She had died from gunshot wounds

FATAL SHOOTING-PARK

North Carolina man charged after fatal daytime park shooting

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (AP) — Police have arrested a North Carolina man in connection with a fatal shooting in broad daylight at a park. News outlets report Rocky Mount police spokesman Ricky Jackson says officers arrested 18-year-old Ronnie Slade at his residence on Monday. Slade is being held without bond in the Edgecombe County jail on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. A news release says police responded Saturday afternoon to shots fired at Martin Luther King Park. Jackson says 24-year-old Rodrick Battle was pronounced dead at the scene and 19-year-old Tyler Frink was airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

PASSENGER BURNED-AIRPLANE

NC airport: Arriving passenger taken to hospital with burns

MORRISVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Officials at Raleigh-Durham International Airport say a passenger suffering from burns on an arriving flight was taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Airport officials say they received a medical call Monday night that a passenger was suffering from burns on an arriving flight and an emergency response team was deployed. Officials say the passenger was checked on-site and then taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. Officials have not released details about how seriously the passenger was injured or what caused the burns.

ELECTION 2022-NORTH CAROLINA-CAWTHORN

Rep. Cawthorn candidacy challenge gets appeals court hearing

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A federal appeals court is next up to weigh whether North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s candidacy can be challenged by voters based on a section of the Constitution addressing insurrection. A 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel scheduled arguments for Tuesday in a lawsuit the Republican congressman filed. A District Court judge in March agreed with Cawthorn and prevented the State Board of Elections from formally examining whether he should stay off the ballot based on his involvement with the rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol riot in January 2021. Registered voters disagreed and appealed. Cawthorn is running in the May 17 primary.

ELECTION 2022-POLITICS

Trump’s bid to shape GOP faces test with voters in May races

NEW YORK (AP) — Voters across a dozen states are set to decide primary elections this month that will determine the people and priorities leading the GOP into the fall midterms and beyond. Donald Trump is not on the ballot, but the Republican former president is actively backing dozens of candidates for Congress, governor and secretary of state across several swing states hosting primaries in May. They don’t come bigger than Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Ohio. In nearly every case, Trump has endorsed only those who embrace his false claims of election fraud.

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