News Roundup

Published for NC Criminal Law on September 12, 2025.

One of the top stories this week is that of Decarlos Brown, who was charged in the fatal stabbing of a woman on a train in Charlotte. The crime occurred on August 22, but the Charlotte Area Transit System recently released surveillance footage to local media outlets, causing the case to garner national attention. Brown has been charged federally with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system, which could result in the death penalty if convicted. Brown has also been charged in North Carolina with first-degree murder. Republican leaders of the North Carolina General Assembly have since announced their plans to introduce wide-ranging legislation when they reconvene later this month. The legislators are aiming to advance a package of proposed laws in part designed to tighten pretrial release rules, create more oversight of and less discretion for magistrates, and restart the use of the death penalty in the state. Any criminal legislation that is enacted will be covered on this blog and included in our annual legislative summaries. The wedding crashers. Police arrested a pair of wedding crashers who allegedly swiped $60,000 from newlyweds during their wedding reception in southern California. Security video played a key role in identifying and locating the suspects. The video showed a man dressed in black grab a box from the banquet hall. The man sprinted outside and escaped in a waiting SUV. According to police, the box had about $60,000 in cash, checks, and gifts intended for the married couple. Man pleads [...]