In our last post, we were talking about the trial of the North Carolina man who shot ten people in a nursing home. Eight of the victims died, and the defendant now says the jury should find him not guilty of murder. The trial will start Monday. During jury selection, defense counsel asked questions about
Continue Reading Defense Hints at Little-used Automatism Argument, Part 2
As Jury Selection Proceeds, Defense Hints at Little-used Argument
The man who admitted to killing eight people and wounding two others in a North Carolina nursing home may ask the court and the jury to believe an unusual defense argument in his upcoming trial. Based on defense counsel’s questions during jury selection, legal experts say the defense may be mounting an “Ambien defense” to
Continue Reading As Jury Selection Proceeds, Defense Hints at Little-used Argument
New Crack Guidelines Mean Early Release for North Carolina Prisoners
The U.S. Sentencing Commission recently announced the retroactive application of guidelines adopted in the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. The unanimous decision could result in reduced sentences for as many as 12,000 offenders in prison on crack cocaine charges. Congress passed the 2010 law in an effort to equalize the sentencing for crack and powder cocaine
Continue Reading New Crack Guidelines Mean Early Release for North Carolina Prisoners
Another Jury to Hear Wake County Murder Case
At the end of June, a Wake County judge declared a mistrial in a highly publicized Raleigh-area criminal case. The 37-year-old defendant was accused of the murder of his pregnant wife. After three days of deliberating, the jury was unable to come to a decision. The judge had urged the panel to settle the matter, saying
Continue Reading Another Jury to Hear Wake County Murder Case
State Patrol Says Trucker Was Going 65 Mph at Time of Fiery Crash
Earlier this week, the North Carolina State Patrol issued its final accident report on the June 20, 2011 crash on Interstate 40. The accident left three dead and the driver of the tractor trailer that started the chain reaction facing multiple criminal charges. One look at the picture of the big rig after the crash
Continue Reading State Patrol Says Trucker Was Going 65 Mph at Time of Fiery Crash