Charlotte’s Murder Trial Backlog Faces Turnaround with New Prosecutors

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – Mecklenburg County is tackling a significant backlog of murder trials that date back to 2020. The district attorney’s office is under pressure to clear these cases, which have left many families waiting since the pandemic for progress.

In response to the killing of a Ukrainian refugee on the Charlotte light rail, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Iryna’s Law. This law includes funding for additional assistant district attorneys, a much-needed boost for the overworked district attorney’s office.

District Attorney Spencer Merriweather regularly highlights that his 85-member team is well below the recommended staffing levels for the county’s population. “Years of turnover and poor pay have left prosecutors demoralized,” he said, emphasizing the strain of high turnover and burnout in the office.

The state has not expanded funding for assistant district attorneys since 2010. The recent approval for 10 new attorney positions and five victim witness assistants marks a significant development. “It’s a win for the community,” Merriweather remarked, noting that many prosecutors have felt overwhelmed, handling the workload of multiple positions.

Mecklenburg County is currently struggling with 119 murder cases that have been pending for over three years, which is 46% of its total pending murder cases. In comparison, Wake County, which has a similar population, faces just 15 such cases, or about 15% of its total.

The backlog results from various factors, including a shortage of defense attorneys and issues with courtroom scheduling, beyond just staffing problems at the district attorney’s office. However, Merriweather views the new funding as a significant step forward. “This is monumental for our office,” he said, signaling immediate plans to start recruiting for the new positions.