News Roundup

Published for NC Criminal Law on August 02, 2019.

Several people were charged with crimes this week in connection with the alleged absentee ballot fraud scheme that launched North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District race into the national political spotlight earlier this year.  According to the News & Observer, McCrae Dowless was charged with two counts of obstruction of justice and one count each of conspiracy to obstruct justice, illegal possession of an absentee ballot, perjury, and solicitation to commit perjury.  Five other people were indicted on related charges.  Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said the investigation was ongoing and that it was premature to say whether any additional charges would be filed.  Keep reading for more news. Voting Charges.  In another story involving voting and criminal law, WRAL reports that four people were charged in Hoke County this week with illegally voting in the 2016 elections.  Each of the defendants is a convicted felon on probation or parole, and the WRAL story notes that they are among 441 felons who voted in the 2016 elections in North Carolina.  An earlier story from WRAL says that the State Board of Elections referred all cases it discovered of felons voting to local prosecutors. Trooper Injured.  Last week Highway Patrol Trooper Christopher Wooten was severely injured in a crash at an intersection while pursuing a driver who had run a red light.  Fox 46 reports that Wooten was struck by a truck that had a green light and was paralyzed.  A GoFundMe site has been established to raise funds to help during [...]