Charlotte-Mecklenburg D.A. may not seek re-election
After more than three decades as Mecklenburg's elected district attorney, Peter Gilchrist is expected soon to announce that he won't run again.
Gilchrist was prepared to inform his staff Tuesday that he had decided not to seek re-election, sources said, but postponed the announcement.
Gilchrist, 70, declined to comment Tuesday night.
Gilchrist, a Democrat, has been Mecklenburg's elected DA since 1975. In eight bids for re-elections, he has not had any challengers.
In 2003, Gilchrist told the Observer he probably would not run again in 2006. But he changed his mind and was re-elected.
"You always wonder when you should stop," he said at the time. "But I've still got plenty of energy and interest in the job. I never know what I'm going to find each day when I arrive at the office."
Andrew Murray, who worked for Gilchrist as an assistant district attorney from 1992 to 1996, has been raising money and campaigning since September to replace Gilchrist.
Asked why he wants the job, Murray, 47, a Republican, replied: "I want to do what I can to protect and keep our community safe."
"One of my goals is to make certain that career criminals and gang members receive the harshest punishment possible," Murray said.
READERS' COMMENTS:
pupmom wrote on 12/02/2009 04:03:19 PM:
This is the best news I'v heard all day! I've been waiting on this for a long time! What a piece of garbage , he has let low life thugs walk for years only to continue their crimes with little ankle braclets on. In fact this is the first time I can remember seeing the piece of crap's picture in the rag obs. Guess he dosen't want his buddies the thugs to know what he looks like...hey anyone know his address...we could put flyers out at the courthouse!!!!
pintobeans wrote on 12/02/2009 02:50:14 PM:
What part of prosecutor doesn't Peter understand?
TooBlasterd wrote on 12/02/2009 12:56:54 PM:
Sir Bill?!...hark and heed our plea?!
cynicalsam wrote on 12/02/2009 12:52:24 PM:
His being replaced would be GREAT news!!!!! Set-em-free gilchrist is an embarrasment to humanity.
amerikalover wrote on 12/02/2009 12:11:13 PM:
Not buying it, he really isn't very good at his job except the part about whining about how underfunded he is. Could care less how many judges the State provides, this DA's Office can't keep the ones there on the bench so exactly how many more do they need? Mecklenburg County funds a lab so they don't have to rely on the State's, a luxury that is wasted on this office. The bond process is a joke, show up for dramatic show when a case has a little publicity, but doing day to day make no effort to assess dangerousness, a perfectly legit criteria. And TexGirl is absolutely correct, the deals offered by this office are stunning, not a hard thing to prioritize murders, hire some assistants that might win one at trial.
pintobeans wrote on 12/02/2009 11:34:47 AM:
A bowling ball could prosecute more cases than Peter Gilchrists' office.
TexGirl wrote on 12/02/2009 10:35:40 AM:
Replying to knelsud92 (12/02/2009 10:08:38 AM):
"Yes, it will get worse, because the moronic voters of this country will probably elect an even more liberal DA, thanks to the Democrat label next to his/her name.
While the DA can't control a lot of things, s/he can do a better job trying to protect the citizens from career thugs who never...":
The plea deals routinely made out of this office are stunning and outrageous. Thugs like the Hidden Valley Kings, who hunted down a man like an animal, shooting at him while driving up Tryon Street, got their murder charges dropped, and are now walking the streets with cute little ankle bracelets.
carolynnty wrote on 12/02/2009 10:06:15 AM:
I, too, am very concerned that we elect a qualified DA. After Nick Mackey, I'm not sure that we will have the voter turnout to put a qualified person in office.
By the way, Observer, how about a follow-up on the status of the investigation of the DSS funds? Please don't let this drop.
Mikey123 wrote on 12/02/2009 09:55:07 AM:
THE STATE consistently underfunds the court system and he and his staff struggle every single day to prosecute - You mean liberals under fund the court system right? And this DA is a liberal and has proven over and over again to be soft on crime, period. Any other take is pure BS. And he did get the additional funding that he requested and it is still the same old garbage coming out of his office. He is garbage, period.
MyHumbleOpinion wrote on 12/02/2009 09:21:19 AM:
Replying to paulosfm (12/02/2009 07:37:38 AM):
"should have said with the reference to Friendship Baptist Church...etc. What's left of my pea brain outruns the fingers on the keyboard.":
Most know it is "supposed" to be an elected position but that has not stopped the cronyism, unethical behvior or questionable finances that resides throughout our city and county...and A LOT of it comes from the church YOU mention! Let's not forget our BOCC has extended its "hands" in places where they shouldn't have been in the past! I'll not comment on the "pea brain" portion of your comment because I do not know you personally, but I will say our county is being ran by Pea Brains, who are arrognat and feel they owe us, the taxpayers NOTHING, not even a decent explanation for their (lack of) actions is MOST areas!
MyHumbleOpinion wrote on 12/02/2009 07:33:18 AM:
I for one am worried sick about who gets this position! Like it or not Gichrest DOES NOT MAKE THE LAWS, he has to enfoce what is currently there!
So far our BOCC has shown they do not have the residents in mind when it somes to making "solid" choices about who runs our county! I PRAY we do not end up with anohter Harry Jones, Rodney Monroe or their likes! I am sick and tired of their lies, cronyism and unethical ways being THROWN in our faces...they stand back and laugh while WE pay the consequences for their lies and theft!
Watch out folks, looks like the perfect job for Nick Mackey! And I bet you HE will throw his hat is this race! All he has to do is make sure he is a memeber of Friendship Missionary! Scarey huh?
Shawn98GT wrote on 12/02/2009 07:29:13 AM:
Good, maybe now we can start putting and keeping the thugs in jail. The day Gilchrist quits, won't come soon enough. Hey Peter don't let the door hit you on the way out, or better yet do let the door hit you.
ebola9999 wrote on 12/02/2009 07:23:53 AM:
Buh Bye Peter. Thanks for allowing criminals to roam our streets at will. Thanks for letting criminals, with dozens of felony charges, terrorize your fellow citizens.
Don't let the door hit ya in the.....well, you know the rest.
mikeyfan1 wrote on 12/02/2009 07:23:15 AM:
Hopefully Charlotte will hire someone who has a legitimate degree, no family members looking for county jobs, and goes to Friendship Baptist Church.
samsara wrote on 12/02/2009 07:10:51 AM:
HALLELUJAH!
Ghoul wrote on 12/02/2009 06:46:46 AM:
Peter's legacy: all the blood on his hands. Peter, how do you sleep at night?
Reply to this Comment
krock65 wrote on 12/02/2009 06:37:51 AM:
GOOD RIDDANCE!!! All the unfavorable publicity recently has finally run this creep out of office.
joecrash1 wrote on 12/02/2009 06:36:53 AM:
Thank goodness. Maybe some criminals will be prosecuted now. Hey, Pete, dont go away mad.
Court Documents tell of pressure for Abortion
Royce Mitchell was pressuring 15-year-old Tiffany Wright to end her pregnancy - and took her to an abortion clinic - according to new court documents that may shed light on why police say Mitchell should be prosecuted for statutory rape.
The documents, released Tuesday, say Mitchell took Tiffany - his adopted sister - to a Charlotte abortion clinic in mid-July but was turned away because, at 21 weeks of pregnancy, she was too far along.
Within days, Mitchell planned a trip to an Atlanta clinic where Tiffany's pregnancy could be terminated, the documents say. Tiffany refused to go.
On Sept. 14, Tiffany, a Hawthorne High junior, was fatally shot as she waited for her school bus on Mallard Creek Road. Doctors delivered her baby girl, but the infant died.
The new information comes in affidavits from the day of the killing, when police sought search warrants for Mitchell's south Charlotte home and an apartment police say he visited that day.
Police call Mitchell, 36, a "person of interest" in the killing, but they haven't charged him. On the day of Tiffany's death, Mitchell was jailed on charges of statutory rape and taking indecent liberties with Tiffany.
But those charges were dropped last week by prosecutors after a DNA test showed Mitchell was not the father of her baby. Without Tiffany alive to testify about her relationship with Mitchell, prosecutors said the case lacked enough evidence.
The move angered Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, who criticized the prosecutors' decision. Police said they believe there's "probable cause" based on "evidence gathered" to prosecute Mitchell on the sex charges - even without DNA evidence.
The affidavits released Tuesday say Tiffany's foster parents reported that Mitchell picked her up on July 20 at about 10:30 p.m. "to take her to visit a dying relative." Tiffany later reported she was really being held against her will by Mitchell and an unidentified female "as they attempted to convince Tiffany to engage in an abortion by non-medical personnel," the affidavits say.
The documents also say that Mitchell scheduled an abortion in Atlanta for the next day and wanted to pick up Tiffany at 5 a.m. from the foster home. But Tiffany refused.
The affidavit also says that Mitchell moved away from his wife and kids in July, at the request of the Department of Social Services, because of allegations he'd committed statutory rape with Tiffany. But Mitchell's wife told detectives that he showed up at the house at 6:45 a.m. on Sept. 14, less than an hour after Tiffany was shot. He took a shower and changed his clothes, the affidavit says.
Police seized a T-shirt, shorts, a tank top and a letter during their search of the home.
Police declined to discuss how Mitchell's actions alleged in the affidavits might have aided the prosecution. Deputy Chief David Graham said he can't comment, but said, in general: "No one piece of evidence standing alone means much, but when tied together helps establish direction for an investigation and possible motive."
Mecklenburg District Attorney Peter Gilchrist stood by his decision to drop the sex charges, saying his office knew about the information in the affidavits.
That evidence, he said, can't be used in court because it's hearsay evidence, and Tiffany can't testify to corroborate it. "What a person who is dead may have told someone else is not admissible," Gilchrist said.
He said defendants must be able to cross-examine those who testify against them.
Mitchell remains in the Mecklenburg jail. He's accused of violating the conditions of his release from federal prison in 2007 because sex charges were brought against him.
Mitchell served five years for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy in Buffalo, N.Y., and remains under federal supervision. The conditions of his release require that Mitchell have a job, meet regularly with a federal officer and stay out of trouble.
Mitchell lost his job on a street crew for the city of Charlotte after he was charged with statutory rape. A city news release said he was fired for "falsifying his employment application, which is in violation of city policy."
Mitchell has a hearing set for Thursday in federal court. A judge must decide whether there's probable cause that Mitchell violated the conditions of his release and whether he should remain jailed without bond while the federal case proceeds.
If a judge later finds that Mitchell violated the terms, he could be sent back to prison.
To prove a violation, prosecutors have a lower burden than they would at trial. They must prove only that the preponderance of the evidence shows that Mitchell committed sex acts with Tiffany, but need not prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.
"When state prosecutors dismissed the charges, they didn't say he didn't do it," said Greg Forest, chief of the federal probation office in Charlotte. "They said they didn't feel like they had the evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt....We don't have to have proof beyond a reasonable doubt."
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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, Charlotte Observer, Charmeckda.com, Whitehouse.gov, Google Maps
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