Republicans in the state Senate have proposed eliminating the N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission, the only one of its kind in the U.S. Since 2007, the commission has helped exonerate 16 people.
Michael Hewlett
Michael Hewlett is a courts and law reporter for The Assembly. He was previously a legal affairs reporter at the Winston-Salem Journal and has won two Henry Lee Weathers Freedom of Information Awards.
Posted inCourts & Justice, Politics & Government
The Company Behind ShotSpotter Says It Curbs Gun Violence. But Some Cities Fear It’s An Empty Promise.
Launched in 1996, ShotSpotter is now used in more than 180 communities across the country. The company’s founder thought sensors used to detect earthquakes could also be used to locate gunfire.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Dominoes on the Court
Last election, Republicans swept the state Supreme Court races and gained a 5-2 majority. Democrats will have to hold onto incumbent Allison Riggs’ seat this November if they want to take it back anytime soon.
Posted inPolitics & Government
The Moore County DA is Under Fire—From His Wife
This story originally ran in The Assembly. On April 13, Victoria Hardin told Mike Hardin, the district attorney for Moore and Hoke counties, that their 17-year marriage was over. During an altercation at their house three weeks later, she claimed he pushed her and bruised her arm, and then barricaded himself in the primary bedroom. […]