Post by Scumhunter on Mar 16, 2023 5:32:53 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: wcnc.com via Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department)
From wcnc.com:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is looking for a man awaiting a murder trial after he reportedly removed his ankle monitor early Tuesday morning.
Willie James, 33, was originally placed on the ankle-monitoring system in 2018 when he was charged with killing 25-year-old Matthew Duke Gibbons in front of a northwest Charlotte home. He was also charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Community advocates are calling into question why James was placed on an ankle monitor prior to trial.
"It's a slap in the face," Mark Raley, an advocate with Mothers of Murdered Offspring, said. "They're living the death of their loved ones all over again, there's no accountability."
Raley spends time with victims' families and said this type of situation is the hardest on those that have lost someone, particularly to gun violence.
"The cry out is for peace," Raley said. "Where is their joy? Where is their end? But there is no end when the suspect is out on the street."
For Lucille Puckett, this incident hits home.
“If you are arrested for committing such a heinous crime, you need to stay in jail, no bail, no bond, until your day in court,” Puckett said.
Back in 2016, the man charged with first-degree murder for killing her son was out in the community wearing an ankle monitor too.
“It wasn’t a question of did he do it, I saw it, he shot at me also,” Puckett said. “Will the system ever bring justice to the victim and the family? Because it seems like the perpetrator always has more rights than the victim and family.”
Back in 2019, CMPD decided homicide suspects could no longer be put on ankle monitors. Kerr Putney, CMPD Chief of Police at the time, said homicide suspects should be in jail, not out in the community.
“I cannot stand behind having homicide suspects on EM that we monitor out in the community, I think the better place for them would be in jail awaiting trial,” Putney said.
But Willie James was charged in 2018, he was one of 31 homicide suspects who were part of the ankle monitor program that got to stay out of jail.
“You’re innocent until proven guilty,” Charlotte attorney Gary Mauney explained.
Mauney is not involved in this case but said judges consider several different factors in granting a pre-trial release, like assurance the defendant will appear in court, or if they pose an unreasonable risk of harm to the community, but when it comes to delays in trials it's expected.
“Trials right now are backed up and if you want a speedy trial -- speedy means less speedy, than it did five, six years ago,” Mauney said.
As for the delay in trials, WCNC Charlotte is learning prosecutors believe on average, it will now take six years before a murder suspect faces a jury.
Mecklenburg County is in worse shape because of severe understaffing. The Mecklenburg County DA has been asking for help since 2019.
The Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office confirmed to WCNC Charlotte that James was called for trial on Monday, with jury selection set to start Tuesday. Prosecutors asked for James' bond to be revoked, and a judge granted the motion.
CMPD said James cut his ankle monitor off near Brookshire Boulevard and Honeywood Avenue, just off I-85. A clothing description was not provided, but his mugshot was made available by police. A new trial date will be set after James is taken into custody.
WCNC Charlotte reached out to CMPD for comment and information but the department could not make anyone available to us at the time of this report.
CMPD noted the department has not accepted any defendants facing murder charges into the electronic monitoring program since December 2019. However, CMPD still monitors three homicide defendants placed in the program prior to then.
www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/charlotte-ankle-monitor-crime-local-murder-suspect/275-4762222c-dd1f-466c-a022-9373b002fcdc
Thoughts? As far as I can tell, James is still at large as of today's posting date (March 16th, 2023), since there have been articles since about his eluding capture, including one from six days ago about him possibly hiding in Robeson County:
www.wmbfnews.com/2023/03/10/murder-suspect-accused-cutting-off-ankle-monitor-possibly-robeson-county-officials-say/
Also a somewhat off-topic rant but the Mecklenburg County public warrant inquiry no longer works. You can still search but you'll get a message that it is no longer a working feature. North Carolina is one of the most difficult state cases for me to confirm cases from and I'm extremely frustrated that now the biggest city in the state decided to make things difficult as well.
In any case, as alwas, anyone who has updates can always contact as if we don't find them first.
Admin Note #1: According to online articles, Anyone with information on James’ whereabouts is asked to call the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team at 704-336-8228 or CMPD Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
Admin Note #2 : If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
