North Carolina Lawyers Weekly

May 22, 2024

Giuliani, Ward plead not guilty in fake elector case

PHOENIX — Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani pleaded not guilty Tuesday to nine felony charges stemming from his role in an effort to overturn Donald Trump‘s 2020 election […]

Mar 25, 2024

Former state insurance commissioner pleads guilty

ATLANTA — A former Georgia insurance commissioner who made a failed Republican run for governor has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud. John W. Oxendine of Johns […]

Mar 22, 2024

Court sentences last ‘Goon Squad’ case officers

JACKSON, Miss. — A federal judge on Thursday finished handing down prison terms of about 10 to 40 years to six white former Mississippi law enforcement officers who pleaded guilty […]

Dec 8, 2023

Students sue college, alleging abuse by friend’s father

NEW YORK — Two former students are suing Sarah Lawrence College, arguing the New York school failed to protect them from Lawrence Ray, who moved into his daughter’s dorm after […]

Nov 8, 2017

Criminal Practice – Multiple Conspiracies – Armed Robbery Spree

State v. Stimpson (Lawyers Weekly No. 011-345-17, 34 pp.) (John Tyson, J.) (Rick Elmore, J., dissenting) Appealed from Guilford County Superior Court (Susan Bray, J.) N.C. App. Holding: Although defendant […]

Jan 25, 2017

Criminal Practice – Mine CEO’s Conspiracy Conviction Stands

U.S. v. Blankenship (Lawyers Weekly No. 001-016-17, 34 pp.) (Wynn, J.) No. 16-4193, Jan. 19, 2017; USDC at Beckley, W.Va. (Berger, J.) 4th Cir. Holding: The 4th Circuit affirms the […]

Jun 9, 2016

Criminal Practice – Conspiracy – Common Law Robbery – Violence or Fear Element – Sentencing

State v. Fleming (Lawyers Weekly No. 011-196-16, 16 pp.) (John Tyson, J.) Appealed from Mecklenburg County Superior Court (Carla Archie, J.) N.C. App. Holding: Defendant didn’t know that his accomplice […]

Mar 2, 2016

Bogus bridge-part brothers bound for ‘big house’

There’s nothing wrong with a company coming into North Carolina to sell parts used to build bridges in the state. That’s just capitalism. But when those bridge parts are defective […]

Feb 27, 2014

Former police officers sentenced to prison

Two former officers in Gaston County have been sentenced to prison for their pleas to conspiracy and extortion charges last year.

Oct 31, 2013

Conspiracy complaint survives death of defendant

Beer has driven many a man to acts of intemperance, but a German company in the business of importing beer growlers—large glass jugs marketed to serious drinkers of the stuff—claims […]

Mar 15, 2013

Criminal Practice – Conspiracy Charge Sticks for False Distress Call

U.S. v. Deffenbaugh Although defendant claims he could not be convicted of federal conspiracy to make a false distress call to the Coast Guard because his girlfriend was not aware a call to the Coast Guard would be part of the plan to fake his death in order to avoid a state probation violation hearing, evidence showed she understood the plan would involve a false distress call and the 4t[...]

Aug 15, 2012

Criminal Practice – Jury & Jurors – ‘Anonymous’ Jury – Murder Trial – First Impression – Constitutional – Hearsay Evidence – Murdered Witness — Conspiracy

U.S. v. Dinkins Using an ‘anonymous’ jury whose biographical information has been withheld from defense lawyers and defendants accused of drug-trafficking and the murder of government witnesses is not a reason to overturn their convictions; the 4th Circuit follows decisions by its sister circuits and provides guidelines for use of anonymous juries.