by Michelle Sparrow | Aug 11, 2011 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
A story from last Sunday’s Charlotte Observer sharply criticized the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) for failing to enact reforms promised by North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper. In response to this and other criticism, Attorney General... by Michelle Sparrow | Mar 1, 2011 | Criminal Law Blog, Homicide
The trial of a Cary man accused of a notorious murder began in a Wake County courtroom yesterday. Before settling in to jury selection, the judge quashed, or annulled, the defense team’s subpoenas for information they say must be disclosed by the prosecution.... by Michelle Sparrow | Oct 13, 2010 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
When a Raleigh newspaper reported this past summer that analysts in the crime lab of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation routinely withheld test results favorable to the defendant, the scientific community and defense attorneys urged the state to make the... by Michelle Sparrow | Oct 1, 2010 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law Blog
Citing concerns about the time commitment the job requires, the interim director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation crime lab resigned this week. His decision was a blow to the agency as it struggles to reorganize, retrain and rebuild its reputation.... by Michelle Sparrow | Sep 10, 2010 | Criminal Law Blog, Homicide
The unit within the State Bureau of Investigation responsible for bloodstain pattern analysis in criminal cases is under serious scrutiny after an audit conducted by two retired FBI supervisors in a News & Observer series showed severe problems with the way the...