News Roundup

Published for NC Criminal Law on July 28, 2017.

The Associated Press reports that the investigation into the Word of Faith Fellowship congregation in Spindale is expanding into questions of whether church members enticed Brazilians to come to North Carolina and then forced them to work without pay.  As is alleged to be the case with other church members, Brazilian former members of the church reportedly have told investigators that, in addition to being forced to work, they were subjected to physical and emotional abuse as a method of religious practice.  Keep reading for more news. Manhunt Ends.  A six-day multicounty manhunt in Western North Carolina concluded early yesterday morning with the arrest of Phillip Michael Stroupe, II, in McDowell County.  After stealing a bike at gunpoint on Saturday, Stroupe eluded authorities and caused the Pisgah National Forest to be closed for four days while the search was ongoing.  Stroupe was discovered in a truck belonging to a Mills River man, Tommy Bryson, who was missing at the time of writing.  Bryson’s disappearance is being investigated as a possible kidnapping. Federal Criminal Justice Reform.  The Wall Street Journal reports that it is unclear what direction federal criminal justice policy will take under the Trump administration because of conflicts on the issue between leading Republican lawmakers and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.  As an example, the Journal report says Sessions’ support for lengthy mandatory-minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders is at odds with the views of Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and other senators.  The report indicates that Trump senior advisor Jared [...]