CHARLOTTE, NC: Terrance Bates talks with Washington Post columnist Mary C. Curtis about the latest developments at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.
N.C. Officer Charged In Death Of Unarmed Black Man
A North Carolina police officer has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of an unarmed black man.
Officer Randall Kerrick of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department fired 12 shots, ten of which hit 24-year-old Jonathan Ferrell, according to authorities.
Ferrell, who had played football for Florida A&M University, was seeking help after crashing his car, according to authorities.
When he knocked on a woman’s door, she called 911 — alarmed to find Ferrell on her doorstep.
When officers arrived at the scene, authorities say Ferrell ran toward officers. When a Taser failed to stop his approach, Kerrick fired.
Now, Reuters reports, civil rights leaders are demanding that video footage of the incident be made public.
Sep192013
After Jonathan Ferrell shooting, a plea for ‘the benefit of the doubt’ for young black men
CHARLOTTE – Sadness in the faces of the crowd of about 50 gathered Monday at the government center here did not mask the frustration and anger. “No justice, no peace” — the chant was familiar — as speaker after speaker at a news conference asked for answers and demanded change.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are piecing together what happened last Saturday. Around 2 a.m., a 24-year-old man was apparently looking for help after a car crash, a woman called police when she didn’t recognize the man knocking on her door, and one of three responding officers hit the man with 10 shots (of 12 fired) after a Taser either didn’t work or didn’t stop the man fitting the description of the caller. Was the man running? Did the officers identify themselves? Why did only one officer fire? The details are still being investigated.
What is known is this. Jonathan Ferrell, a former Florida A&M football player who had moved to Charlotte, worked two jobs and looked forward to marrying his fiancée and returning to school, is dead. Officer Randall Kerrick, 27, has been charged with voluntary manslaughter. Georgia Ferrell has become a grieving mother holding her son’s childhood Winnie the Pooh doll. She said she forgives the man who shot her son, but cannot understand how and why it happened.
Sep172013
Second acts for Paula Broadwell and David Petraeus
Author Paula Broadwell and retired Gen. David Petraeus are in the news again – for different reasons and with very different reactions.
Broadwell, a guest speaker Tuesday at one of the best-attended Rotary Club of Charlotte meetings ever, is settling back into her life with her doctor husband and two young sons. The club’s report on her appearance featured the topic of her speech, military veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. There was no mention of the frenzy that last November accompanied news of her affair with then-CIA director Petraeus.
Sep122013
Picking Charlotte’s Next Mayor
Charlotte, N.C.- We are one step closer to seeing who will be the next Mayor of Charlotte. Mary C. Curtis joined the Rising crew with more on how this race could impact the Queen City.
Sep112013
Changes in Charlotte Since the DNC
Charlotte, N.C.- A year has passed but the impact from the Democratic National Convention lives on in the Queen City. Mary C. Curtis was among the movers and shakers during the DNC. She joined Rising to talk about how the city continues to blossom.
Sep042013
Paula Broadwell apologizes for affair with still-in-the-headlines David Petraeus
Paula Broadwell, trying to get back to life before the headlines, has apologized for her affair with David H. Petraeus, which led to his resignation as CIA director.
In her first in-depth interview, with ABC News affiliate WSOC in Charlotte, Broadwell said, “I have remorse for the harm that this has caused, the sadness this has caused in my family and other families.” She said, “I’m the first to admit I’ve made mistakes, and I’m regretful for the pain I’ve caused, but at some point again you pick yourself up face forward and keep moving.” She said she’s “not focused on the past.”
May242013
Can we talk about gun violence?
CHARLOTTE – On the federal level, the gun-control debate is now focused on proposed changes to gun legislation, from tightening background checks (given little chance of passage) to efforts to ban military-style assault weapons and limit the capacity of ammunition magazines (given even less).
On the local level, however, in the city neighborhoods where violence doesn’t merit the headlines of Newtown or Aurora, that debate is secondary. The concern there is concentrated on gun violence rather than gun control. At a community conversation in Charlotte on Tuesday evening, a police officer, a doctor and a minister – all experienced in dealing with the daily consequences of young men with guns – led an effort to find solutions.
Apr172013
Keeping It Positive: Try Something Different for CIAA Week in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) basketball tournament is in full force all around the Queen City! Both Charlotte and the association are hosting a number of events in honor of the annual event. Today’s Keeping it Positive explores the celebrations that not only involve games and parties but also observes Black History Month. Here are highlights of a few happenings around town that are rich in culture and enjoyable for all to attend.
Feb272013
