Man Shot and Killed During Attempted Robbery in Charlotte

By WCNC.com Staff, July 31, 2013

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are investigating a deadly overnight shooting in northwest Charlotte.

Police said 32-year-old Miguel Garcia Sanchez was killed during a shooting at the intersection of West Sugar Creek Road and Reagan Drive during an attempted robbery.

Police said that Sanchez and a friend were sitting in their vehicle when they were approached by a suspect who produced a handgun and attempted to rob them. During the course of the attempted robbery, the suspect shot the Sanchez and fled the scene.

Sanchez was taken to Carolinas Medical Center where he later died from his injuries.

Police had the intersection closed for a few hours while they investigated the scene. An arrest has not been made in the shooting, according to police.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit Detective.  Detective B. Fitch is the lead detective assigned to the case.

Mint Hill Police Trying to Identify Suspect in Armed Robbery

Police in Mint Hill are looking to identify their suspect in a Friday night convenience store robbery.

Credit: Mint Hill Police Department; Photos taken from surveillance footage

Police responded to an armed robbery at the Friendly Mart aroudn 10 o’clock Friday night.

The store clerk reported that a black man in his early 20s, wearing a sliver watch on his left hand, black t-shirt, black pants and a Toronto Raptors hat held up the store.

The suspect made off with an unknown amount of items and fled on foot toward Idlewild Road.

If you have any information that may assist law enforcement in this case, please contact the Criminal Investigations Division of the Mint Hill Police Department.

Felon Wanted in Charlotte for Removing Monitoring Device.

By WCNC.com staff, July 30, 2013

A convicted felon is wanted by police after removing his electronic monitoring device.

Robert Pernell Sowell, 21, was convicted of felony larceny in 2012.

A court ordered Sowell to wear a monitoring device as part of a condition of his probation.

Police say he took off the device on Monday and was last known to be in the 3300 block of Sam Drenan Road.

Anyone with information should call police

Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office Convicts 48 Defendants

 

From The Charlotte Observer by Dan Burley, July 29, 2013

Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Crimes Against Persons Team convicted 48 defendants during the week of July 22. Defendants entered their guilty pleas before the Honorable Robert C. Ervin, Mecklenburg County Superior Court judge.

Among those convicted were:

Terrell Burgman, 19, who pled guilty to robbery with a dangerous weapon. In February 2013, the victim arranged to sell two pairs of Nike shoes through a Facebook page known as “Carolina Sneakerheard Society,” according to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office. When the victim went to the gas station where the transaction was to take place, a car with four people arrived. One person in the car pulled out a handgun. Then Burgman, who was also in the car, took the victim’s shoes, according to the attorney’s office. The car drove away. Later, during an interview, Burgman confessed to taking the shoes and throwing the gun out of the car window, according to the attorney’s office. Burgman was sentenced to 38 to 58 months in prison.

Jose Santos Lopez, 26, who pled guilty to attempted second-degree rape. Lopez was sentenced to 51 to 74 months in prison.

Henry Dozier, 64, who pled guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. Dozier was sentenced to 26 to 41 months in prison.

Willard Grier, 34, who pled guilty to common law robbery. Grier was sentenced to 19 to 32 months in prison.

Mitchell McCasland, 23, who pled guilty to conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. McCausland was sentenced to 15 to 27 months in prison.

Delasio Mobley, 20, who pled guilty to attempted second-degree kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Mobley was sentenced to 15 to 27 months in prison.

Joseph Banks, 22, who pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and attempted sale of marijuana. Banks was sentenced to 12 to 24 months in prison.

Darquarius Watson, 22, who pled guilty to common law robbery. Watson was sentenced to 10 to 21 months in prison.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/30/4201863/mecklenburg-county-district-attorneys.html#storylink=cpy

North Carolina Passes Multi-Purpose Pro-Life Bill

From The New American by Dave Bohon, July 27, 2013

North Carolina has become the latest state to pass a bill designed to protect pre-born babies and their mothers. S.B. 53, signed into law July 26 by Governor Pat McCrory, implements a number of measures that pro-life activists say will mean fewer abortions in the state and a safer environment for pregnant women.

                North Carolina State Capitol Building

Specifically, the pro-life legislation will:

• Allow the state to opt out of including abortion in the federal healthcare exchange as well as in city and county health plans (except for cases of rape and when an expectant mother’s life is supposedly in danger). According to a 2011 CNN survey, 61 percent of Americans oppose the use of public funds for abortion.

• Prohibit abortion procedures based on sex selection. A recent poll found that 85 percent of Americans oppose the ghoulish practice of aborting babies based on sex, meaning that even some “pro-choice” Americans think killing pre-born children based on their gender is a choice no one should be able to make.

• Require that abortionists be physically present when an abortion takes place — including when abortion-inducing drugs such as RU-486 are administered to a patient. This measure was implemented to put a stop to the increasing incidence of “web cam” abortions, during which an abortionists does his deadly business remotely, giving orders and consulting with patients via streaming video conferencing.

• Require that abortion clinics meet certain safety standards similar to those required for ambulatory surgical centers.

• Expand to “any other health care provider” the protections now given to doctors and nurses who refuse to participate in abortions.

“Thousands of unborn children’s lives will be protected from abortion by preventing the expansion of tax payer funded abortion through the federal [ObamaCare] exchange,” noted Barbara Holt, president of North Carolina Right to Life. “By passing this legislation, our state has also demonstrated that it will not tolerate unborn babies being aborted just because they are the wrong sex, or doctors being miles away from the patient when they administer drugs that kill the unborn baby and can harm the child’s mother.”

Thus far this year state legislatures have passed more than 50 pro-life measures, including some of the most restrictive abortion bans on the books. Earlier this year, for example, North Dakota passed a measure banning abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy, and several states have passed bans on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Overall, there appears to be growing support across America for legislation designed to curtail abortion. “A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 56 percent support restricting abortion after 20 weeks,” reported CBN News. “Another 10 percent of those surveyed would prefer to outlaw abortion in the United States altogether or limit it earlier than 20 weeks after fertilization. More than half — 54 percent — say they oppose state laws that make it more difficult for abortion clinics to operate compared to 45 percent who support such legislation…. Meanwhile, 55 percent of respondents say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.”

2 Arrested in Steele Creek Breaking and Entering Case

 

From The Charlotte Observer, July 26, 2013

Police have arrested two men they allege broke into a home off Shopton Road Thursday morning while residents were inside.

Archie Flemming, 20, and Theodore Fuller, 22, have been charged with felony breaking and entering, felony conspiracy, possession of stolen goods and larceny after breaking and entering.

Police officers with the Steele Creek Division were called to a Pine Harbor Road home around 10:30 a.m. after receiving a 911 call that two suspects had broken into a residence, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. A victim told officers that one of the suspects was armed and gave a detailed description of the men who broke in.

With the help of the North Tryon and Eastway Divisions, officers found suspects matching the victim’s description near The Plaza and East 35th Street.

After a short foot chase, Fuller and Flemming were detained by officers. Police said they recovered the victims’ property and the gun used during the crime from the suspects.

Police credit a cooperative witness willing to report the crime and inter-division cooperation with the quick arrest.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/26/4192112/two-arrested-in-steele-creek-breaking.html#storylink=cpy

CMPD Investigating After Church-Goers Say They Saw Man Without Clothes

From http://www.wsoctv.com, July 26, 2013

CMPD Officers said they’re trying to identify a man who may have exposed himself to families outside a church.

Police investigate after church-goers say they saw man without clothes

Families at the Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in south Charlotte told police they saw a man standing in the open doorway of a nearby home with no clothes on.

They said it happened while children were in the parking lot for a Bible class.

“That’s unacceptable. This is a nice, family-oriented community and we need to make sure we don’t have anything like that going on again,” said baby-sitter David Schwarzkovf.

Police have not been able to say if they think the man exposed himself on purpose. They said they are investigating.

Man Fatally Stabbed After Verizon Concert

 

From The Charlotte Observer By Steve Lyttle, July 27, 2013

A 24-year-old Charlotte man was fatally stabbed late Friday night during an argument outside Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

The death, apparently the first violence-related fatality at the north Charlotte entertainment venue in its 22 years, followed a rap concert featuring Lil Wayne.

Detectives early Saturday identified the stabbing victim as James Warren Price. No arrests have been announced in the case.

A number of police were working on security detail in the parking lot when the stabbing took place, shortly before 11:30 p.m., but there apparently were no officers near the scene. Investigators say officers arrived to find a man stabbed and a woman, whose identity has not been released, also injured.

Medic arrived a short time later and declared the man dead.

Officer Jessica Lawrence, a spokesman for CMPD, said several witnesses saw what took place. She said police were told that the victim and several other men got into an argument after the concert, which featured Lil Wayne with T.I. and 2 Chainz.

“During the altercation, the victim was stabbed,” Lawrence said.

The suspects then drove off, and police did not get a description of the getaway vehicle.

Detectives are asking anyone who was at the concert and might have seen something related to the stabbing to call police at 704-432-TIPS. Information also can be left with Crime Stoppers, 704-334-1600.

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, near Interstate 485 between North Tryon Street and University City Boulevard, is the Charlotte region’s largest outdoor concert venue. It opened in 1991 as Blockbuster Pavilion and took the Verizon name in 2001.

In June 2003, UNC Charlotte student Ashley Faris, 26, was electrocuted during a concert featuring Snoop Dogg and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But a check of Observer records and other sources show no other incidents of fatalities at the concert site.

Verizon Amphitheatre is operated by Live Nation, which manages outdoor entertainment concert centers in several other cities.

There was no immediate comment from Live Nation.

The next concert scheduled at Verizon is the Vans Warped Tour, a daylong event Monday featuring about 10 acts.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/27/4194297/man-fatally-stabbed-after-verizon.html#storylink=cpy

New Bill Would Stop Unemployment Checks to Prisoners

From http://www.wsoctv.com, July 26, 2013

Taxpayers in the Carolinas shelled out $234 million in improper unemployment checks last year.

Some of that money may have gone to prisoners, gaming the system and collecting unemployment checks.

Now members of Congress want to crack down.

Six House Republicans just introduced the Perp Act.

It would prohibit states from paying out unemployment benefits to inmates.

Even though the law appears to be saying they shouldn’t get the benefits, it is not being fully enforced and members of Congress want to step in and see that the law is actually being upheld.

The bill heads to a House committee for consideration.

Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office Convicts 15 Defendants

 

From The Charlotte Observer By Elisabeth Arriero, July 25, 2013

The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Habitual Felon Team convicted 15 defendants between July 15 and 17.

The defendants, some of whom are not considered habitual felons under state law, entered their guilty pleas in Mecklenburg County Superior Court before The Honorable Richard D. Boner.

Eleven of the defendants were sent to prison.

Among those convicted were:

•  Damian Towson, 36, who pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and being a habitual felon. Towson was sentenced to 66 to 91 months in prison. He has prior convictions that include larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver.

•  Alvin Lee, 38, who pled guilty to habitual impaired driving. Lee was sentenced to 33 to 49 months in prison. Lee has previously been convicted of driving while impaired on three separate occasions.

•  David Ford, 43, who pled guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver and conspiracy to sell or deliver cocaine. Ford was sentenced to 29 to 54 months in prison. Some of Ford’s previous convictions include common law robbery and possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver.

•  Timothy Kiser, 45, who pled guilty to possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver and possession of a schedule I controlled substance. Kiser was sentenced to 24 to 41 months in prison. Kiser has previous convictions for trafficking in cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver and possession of a weapon in furtherance of drug trafficking.

•  Michael Ward, 38, pled guilty to felony breaking or entering and larceny after breaking or entering. Ward was sentenced to 22 to 46 months in prison. Ward has previous convictions that include forgery and burglary.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/26/4192531/mecklenburg-county-district-attorneys.html#storylink=cpy