Firearm by Felons Gets Guns Off Charlotte Streets

In an effort to keep our city's streets as safe as possible, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police recently launched the Firearm by Felon program. Started in May of this year, the program targets convicted felons in possession of firearms. Firearm by Felon offers reward money for anonymous tips that lead to the recovery of illegal guns or the arrest of a felons with guns.

The program comes after statistics showed a rise in the number of felons arrested with guns.  In 2009 250 convicted felons were arrested with guns, as opposed to 319 last year. The ease with which felons can access firearms was disturbing to the department.  The theory is getting guns off the street will result in fewer armed robberies and other crimes associated with firearms, according to CMPD's Marty Cuthberson. 

Since the start of Firearm by Felon in May, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have recovered 12 guns and made seven arrests. By allowing members of the community to call in and work together with local law enforcement, Charlotte is a safer place to live.

The Firearm by Felon tip line is (704) 336-6000. Rewards of up to $500 are offered for information that leads to an arrest or recovery of guns.

Message from Mecklenburg County District Attorney Murray

D.A. Andrew Murray

From the Office of: R. Andrew Murray
Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office
State of North Carolina - 26th Prosecutorial District

Mecklenburg County Citizens:In an effort to increase our communication with the citizens of the North Carolina 26th Prosecutorial District, our Office will, from time-to-time, share educational information about the criminal justice system with our list subscribers.

We hope you find this type of information helpful, in addition to the typical news releases issued by the Office each week. Today, as a result of the many questions that we field on this general subject, we pass-along information regarding some newly-passed legislation that will affect sentencing and corrections laws across the state.

The recent action was taken by the North Carolina General Assembly.  Please click here to read a synopsis of some of the changes

If you don't have time to read the three page document highlighting the new NC sentencing laws, let me summarize for you:

The North Carolina General Assembly recently passed some new legislation that will substantially alter sentencing and correction laws presently in effect.  Due to these recent changes, effective for all offenses committed on or after December 1, 2011, we are providing this synopsis along with a link to the entire bill: House Bill 642

* Substantial Change #1: Most habitual felons must be given shorter sentences
* Substantial Change #2: All felons will have a period of post-release supervision
* Substantial Change #3: Four state prisons will be closed; no new prisons will be opened
* Substantial Change #4: Creation of a “habitual breaking and entering status offender”
* Substantial Change #5: Judges can no longer revoke a defendant’s probation and send them to prison for most violations of probation

* Check out News 14 Carolina's report with Shawn Flynn & my opinion on the matter

Report a Reckless Driver to CMPD

** To report a reckless driver to CMPD, please call 704-432-2120 or send an e-mail to: Traffic_Complaints@cmpd.org

WHAT IS RECKLESS DRIVING?

§ General Statute 20‑140 (Reckless Driving)
(a) Any person who drives any vehicle upon a highway or any public vehicular area carelessly and heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others.
(b) Any person who drives any vehicle upon a highway or any public vehicular area without due caution and circumspection and at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger or be likely to endanger any person or property shall be guilty of reckless driving.
(c) Reckless driving as defined in subsections (a) and (b) is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

** According to the NC DMV, if you have two charges of 'reckless driving' within 12 months, your license will be suspended for one year!

Police Enforcing Youth Curfew

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are strictly enforcing Charlotte-Mecklenburg's Youth Protection Ordinance (aka) curfew this summer. The curfew is for kids/teens under the age of 16. The curfew is valid in both the City of Charlotte and unincorporated Mecklenburg County. (More Info)

* Curfew Hours *
Sunday to Thursday: 11:00pm - 6:00am
Friday & Saturday: 12:01am - 6:00am

* Restricted Areas *
Any public place or any place that is generally open to and used by the public; streets, sidewalks, highways, alleys, public vehicular areas and parking lots, transportation facilities, theaters, restaurants, schools and school grounds, playgrounds, parks, and other common areas open to or accessible to the public.

* Offenses *
(1) A juvenile commits an offense by being present in or remaining in any public place or on the premises of any establishment within the city during the restricted hours.
(2) A parent or guardian of a juvenile commits an offense if he/she knowingly permits or allows the juvenile to remain in any public place during the restricted hours.
(3) The owner, operator, or an employee of an establishment commits an offense if he/she knowingly allows a juvenile to remain upon the premises of the establishment during the restricted hours.
(4) It is a violation of the ordinance for any person 16 years of age or older to aid or abet a juvenile in being present or remaining in a public place within the city during the restricted hours.
(5) It is a violation of the ordinance for a parent or guardian to refuse to take custody during the restricted hours. (Certain exceptions exist for juveniles in a public place during the restricted hours which are set out in the ordinance.)

* Penalties *
(1) A juvenile who violates any provision of the ordinance is subject to being adjudicated delinquent.
(2) Any parent/guardian or other person who violates the ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

New DUI Laws in NC

Thanks to a new law that took effect on Friday, drunk drivers in North Carolina will have a hard time beating the system...

The new law is one of the toughest drunk driving laws in the country, and it makes it easier for prosecutors to get convictions in DWI cases. The new law essentially makes a blood alcohol reading of 0.08 a guilty verdict.

One local attorney said the law is "closing loopholes – guilty or not guilty!” Prosecutors say the driver can still come to court and challenge how a DWI arrest was made and whether the machine was accurate but it will be much harder to do so.

The new DUI law also lists more than a hundred drugs, including prescription drugs and their basic ingredients that are enough to find a driver guilty of DWI. It also gives prosecutors the ability to challenge rulings that go against them on technicalities in DWI cases.