New data The Assembly obtained shows that having capital punishment on the books—even if it’s not used—is giving prosecutors more conviction-prone juries.
Jeffrey Billman
Jeffrey Billman is a politics and law reporter for The Assembly. The former editor-in-chief of INDY in Durham, he holds a master's degree in public policy analysis from the University of Central Florida.
Posted inPolitics & Government
The Mayor and Her Discontents
Some Raleigh residents aren’t happy with Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin’s vision for growth. They’re not likely to stop her.
Posted inCourts & Justice
The Most Important Election You Know Nothing About
Voters are losing trust in the state’s courts. There has to be a better way to pick judges than partisan elections—right?
Posted inCourts & Justice
Lorrin Freeman’s Last Stand
Democratic insiders say the Wake County district attorney’s quixotic prosecution of Attorney General Josh Stein has dimmed her once-bright political future. They can’t figure out why she’s doing it.
Posted inCourts & Justice
A Timeline of Freeman v. Stein
The full tick-tock of the ongoing legal battle between Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman and Attorney General Josh Stein.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Hurricane Sandy
Sandy Smith—MAGA champion, culture warrior, conspiracy theorist, alleged domestic abuser—could become the first Republican to represent northeastern N.C. in Congress in 140 years.
Posted inElections
Buying a Blue Seat
How the race for North Carolina’s most progressive district became the most expensive Democratic congressional primary in state history.
Posted inElections
How to Overturn an Election
An obscure North Carolina law allows the General Assembly to decide some contested elections. As overseeing voting becomes a partisan battleground, some fear that the law could be used to override voters’ will.
Posted inCourts & Justice, Politics & Government
#MeToo and the Wake County District Attorney’s Office
A former Wake County prosecutor says she was sexually assaulted by a fellow prosecutor and disclosed the incident to her boss, District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, who took no action. Five employment lawyers tell The Assembly that federal law required an investigation.
Posted inCourts & Justice, Politics & Government
Lorrin Freeman’s Balancing Act
Wake County’s district attorney has taken the middle road during her two terms as one of North Carolina’s most powerful prosecutors. As a contested primary approaches and progressives criticize her cautious incrementalism, a verdict from voters awaits.
