Hello Faithful Reader,
I hope this edition of The Black Birdseye View finds you well and in good spirits. In this issue, we will explore the concept of “conflict of interest” and shed light on past cases that have raised questions about the character and integrity of Wake County's District Attorney, Lorrin Freeman.
First of all,
Let me start by saying that I don’t know what it’s going to take to make black people in Wake County NC become concerned that they could potentially have loved ones locked up right now on Hammond Road…on trumped up charges fabricated by RPD…because RPD has been framing black people at LEAST since 2018….and getting away with it. Caging them like animals on fake charges….GOOGLE IT.
Second of all….”If a dog don’t hunt…..That dog don’t hunt!”
The Conflict of Interest?
By definition, a conflict of interest arises when an individual or organization has competing interests that could compromise their impartiality or ethical conduct. This clash between personal interests and professional obligations can call an individual's credibility and reputation into question. It is important to identify and address conflicts of interest to foster transparency and integrity in professional settings. This can involve disclosing potential conflicts, recusing oneself from certain decisions or activities, or taking other measures to minimize the impact of the conflict.
Meet Lauren Freeman
Lorrin Freeman serves as the District Attorney for Wake County, North Carolina. Her husband is a police officer employed by the city of Raleigh, NC / Raleigh Police Department. Critics wonder how Freeman’s husband being a police officer is NOT a conflict of interest, when her office is responsible for prosecuting cases that involve police officers and police misconduct. There is the concern that her husband's position as a police officer creates a bias in favor of law enforcement in cases handled by Freeman.
The effectiveness and integrity of Freeman's office depends on the actions she takes and decisions she makes while carrying out her duties as District Attorney, as well as the accountability mechanisms in place to ensure that she and her office maintain high ethical standards.
Considering that the District Attorney holds a complete charging authority, let’s examine cases involving Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, patterns of conflict within the DA's office, and cases of RPD police misconduct to establish patterns and the common denominators.
For this purpose I have compiled a list.
In 2020, a Raleigh police officer was caught on video assaulting a man who was sitting on his porch. Freeman's office declined to bring charges against the officer, citing a lack of evidence.
Tariq Bridges, a 22-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by a Raleigh police officer in 2018. Freeman's office declined to bring charges against the officer involved.
Several deaths have occurred at the Wake County Detention Center in recent years, and Freeman's office has been criticized for not pursuing criminal charges in some cases. For example, in 2019, John Neville, a 56-year-old Black man, died while in custody at the detention center. Freeman's office declined to bring charges against the detention officers involved in his death.
Kobe Whitehead, a 18-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by a Raleigh police officer in 2020. Freeman's office declined to bring charges against the officer involved, citing a belief that the officer had acted in self-defense.
In 2020, the Raleigh police department used tear gas and other force to disperse protesters during demonstrations against police violence. Freeman's office has faced criticism for not doing enough to investigate allegations of police misconduct during the protests.
Charles Zang, a former Raleigh police officer, was charged with sexually assaulting a woman while on duty in 2017. Critics have argued that Freeman's office pursued charges against Zang too slowly and that the charges should have been more severe.
Freeman's office has faced criticism for its handling of cases involving excessive use of force by the Raleigh police department. Critics have argued that Freeman's office has not done enough to hold officers accountable for use of force incidents, particularly against people of color.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its use of jailhouse informants, who provide information about other inmates in exchange for reduced sentences. Critics argue that the use of jailhouse informants can lead to false convictions and undermines the fairness of the criminal justice system.
Joseph Sledge, a Black man, was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1978 and spent nearly four decades in prison before being exonerated in 2015. Freeman's office declined to investigate Sledge's case for many years, despite evidence of his innocence. Critics argue that Freeman's office should have done more to review and overturn wrongful convictions.
Nicholas Holbert, a white man, was charged with assaulting a Black man outside a downtown Raleigh bar in 2019. Freeman's office initially declined to pursue hate crime charges against Holbert, but later reversed its decision after public outcry. Critics argue that Freeman's office should have pursued hate crime charges from the outset.
Soheil Mojarrad, a 30-year-old Iranian immigrant, was shot and killed by a Raleigh police officer in 2019. Freeman's office declined to bring charges against the officer involved, citing a belief that the officer had acted in self-defense.
Robert McCullough, a white man, was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill after firing a gun into a group of people during a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Raleigh in 2020. Freeman's office later reduced the charges to misdemeanors.
Andrew Brown Jr., a Black man, was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, in 2021. Although Freeman's office was not directly involved in the case, some critics have called for her office to investigate the shooting and hold the deputies involved accountable.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its use of grand juries, which are used to determine whether there is enough evidence to bring criminal charges against a defendant. Critics argue that grand juries are often biased in favor of law enforcement and prosecutors, and that they can lead to wrongful convictions.
Freeman's office has faced criticism for its handling of cases involving police misconduct, particularly cases in which officers are accused of excessive force or racial profiling. Critics argue that Freeman's office has not done enough to hold police officers accountable for their actions, and that this lack of accountability contributes to a culture of impunity within law enforcement.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving wrongful convictions. Critics argue that Freeman's office has not done enough to review past cases for possible wrongful convictions.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its use of gang enhancements, which are used to increase sentences for defendants who are believed to be associated with gangs. Critics argue that gang enhancements are often applied unfairly and can contribute to the mass incarceration of people of color.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving individuals with mental health issues. Critics argue that the office's policies do not do enough to divert people with mental health issues away from the criminal justice system and into treatment.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its heavy reliance on drug prosecutions, particularly in cases involving low-level drug offenses. Critics argue that this approach is ineffective at reducing drug use and disproportionately affects communities of color.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its use of mandatory minimums, which are mandatory prison sentences for certain crimes. Critics argue that mandatory minimums are overly harsh and can contribute to the mass incarceration of people of color.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its use of confidential informants, who provide information to law enforcement in exchange for reduced sentences or other benefits. Critics argue that the use of confidential informants can lead to false convictions and undermine the fairness of the criminal justice system.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving police body camera footage, particularly cases in which footage is not released to the public. Critics argue that Freeman's office should be more transparent and should release footage to the public in cases where it is relevant to the public interest.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving domestic violence survivors, particularly cases in which survivors are criminalized for defending themselves against their abusers. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to support survivors and to hold abusers accountable.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving individuals in mental health crisis, particularly cases in which individuals are criminalized rather than receiving the mental health care they need. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to divert individuals in mental health crisis from the criminal justice system and into treatment.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving police accountability, particularly cases in which officers are accused of misconduct but not charged or disciplined. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to hold police officers accountable for their actions and to promote transparency and trust between law enforcement and the community.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving wrongful arrests, particularly cases in which innocent individuals are arrested and charged with crimes they did not commit. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to investigate cases of wrongful arrest and to compensate individuals who have been wrongly incarcerated.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving individuals experiencing homelessness, particularly cases in which individuals are criminalized for sleeping or loitering in public places. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to address the root causes of homelessness and to provide supportive services to individuals in need.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving the use of force by school resource officers, particularly cases in which students are subjected to excessive force or racial profiling. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to hold school resource officers accountable for their actions and to ensure that schools are safe and inclusive environments for all students.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving the death penalty, particularly cases in which defendants may be innocent or may have received inadequate legal representation. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to ensure that defendants receive fair trials and to promote alternatives to the death penalty.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving racial disparities in the criminal justice system, particularly cases in which people of color are disproportionately impacted by policing and incarceration. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to address the root causes of racial disparities and to promote fairness and equity within the criminal justice system.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving wrongful convictions based on faulty forensic evidence, particularly cases involving the use of bite mark analysis. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to review past cases and to address the use of unreliable forensic techniques in criminal trials.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving immigrants who face language barriers when navigating the criminal justice system. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to ensure that immigrants have access to interpreters and to provide culturally competent services to people with limited English proficiency.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving probation and parole, particularly cases in which individuals are reincarcerated for technical violations of their probation or parole conditions. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to promote alternatives to incarceration and to reduce recidivism.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving the use of force by law enforcement during protests, particularly cases in which protesters are subjected to excessive force or violent arrests. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to hold law enforcement accountable for their actions and to protect the right to protest.
Freeman's office has been criticized for its handling of cases involving individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders, particularly cases in which individuals are criminalized rather than receiving treatment. Critics argue that Freeman's office should do more to divert individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders away from the criminal justice system and into treatment.
My list got out of control. It’s more than bias. It’s more than conflict of interest. It’s frightening. And no one is paying attention.
Until next time…Breathe to Think
Robin Ess
Online Editor and Columnist / Carolina Call Newspaper
Editor-in-Chief Black Birdseye View
robiness@blackbirdseyeviewnews.us
(919) 395-0398
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