Wishing you a Joyful and Safe Holiday Season
As we gather and celebrate with our loved ones this festive season, let's keep safety front of mind. During this time of year driving can be more hazardous, due to less daylight, inclement weather, and more drivers on the road. Following these simple tips can help you arrive home safely from holiday gatherings:
- Plan Ahead
- Stay Alert
- Mind your Speed
- Drive Defensively
- Don't Drive Impaired
- Avoid Distractions.
Happy holidays, and stay safe!
Introducing our "Beyond the Courtroom" Series
The work of the SCDAG office goes well beyond the courtroom and traditional prosecution duties. In each coming newsletter, we will spotlight one of our many community outreach initiatives. The programs to be highlighted are: Season of Remembrance (highlighted in this newsletter), Community Prosecutor Program, Mental Health Court, Veterans Court, Drug Court, Lives Worth Saving, Do The Write Thing, Restoration Saturday, Anti-Trespass, Drug Dealer Eviction Program, Operation Comeback, Nuisance Actions, Quarterly Ministers Luncheon, and the Community Justice Program, respectively. We look forward to sharing more with you about our work beyond the courtroom.
Taking a Stand Against Gun Violence
As gun violence surges in our community, it is more important than ever that we come together and fight back. The SCDAG office, along with sponsor Pledge to Protect 901 and co-hosts, held the 6th annual Unity Walk against gun violence on Saturday, Nov. 13th at Raleigh-Egypt High School. Then, we participated in two community meetings on gun violence, the first Tuesday Nov. 16 at Pursuit of God Transformational Center in Frayser, and the second on Thursday Nov. 18 at Riverside Missionary Baptist Church. We were joined by other elected officials, members of law enforcement, prosecutors, health care leaders, and other key community stakeholders to discuss specific ways to curb gun violence, and to hear feedback and input from community members.
After some 30 years as an Assistant District Attorney, Emmett Hall has decided it’s time to retire.
He claims to be “frightened by the whole prospect,” although he has four young grandchildren he looks forward to visiting more often in Charlotte, N.C., and lots of books to read that don’t have footnotes or legal citations.
“I’ve already turned my alarm off,” Emmett said. “It was always set for 5:30, but now I’ll probably sleep until 6:30.”
Emmett opines that he got his job in the DA’s Office the old-fashioned way: “I knew somebody.”
Dist. Atty. Gen. Hugh Stanton, a longtime family friend, first hired him in the mid-1980s, but after five years Emmett decided to try criminal defense work with a private practice. After a few years, however, he returned to the DA’s Office, this time hired by Dist. Atty. Gen. John Pierotti.
Emmett had the rare distinction of working in General Sessions courts throughout his career at 201 Poplar. He admired and learned from colleagues including Jim Hall (no relation), Louis Montesi, Mike Boyle and Billy Bond.
“I learned how to deal with members of the defense bar, and that you don’t yell at people, but rather coax and cajole,” he said. “I also learned from them how to evaluate a case and what factors to consider.
“I’ve worked with some extraordinary people, most of whom are still roaming around this office.”
Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich has known and worked with Emmett for three decades.
“Emmett Hall leaves behind a long list of prosecutors (and defense attorneys) that he has molded into great attorneys,” Gen. Weirich said. “His contributions to this office, to the justice system and to the public will last well into the future.” Read more
Wife Convicted of Murdering Husband Whose Body Was Hidden in Attic
Shopper Convicted in Jewelry Store Heist
Caregiver Convicted of Elder Abuse
Cold Case Investigators File Murder Charges
Nuisance Order Hits Peppertree Apartments
There was a wonderful turnout Monday evening for our 11th annual Season of Remembrance, which makes me both happy and sad. Happy that family and friends of homicide victims came together to honor and remember their loved ones, but sad, of course, because there are more homicides than any community should have to endure.
Nothing can be said or done to heal the hole left in so many hearts, but as our guest speaker Dr. Bill Adkins of Greater Imani Church said, “There is a peaceful ally we have when we suffer, and it’s called hope. With hope we begin to look forward. You move on, but you never forget who you lost. You honor them by living your life.”
I want to thank our good friend Dave Brown who was the emcee, the beautiful voices of the Southwind High School Choir, and the gentle touch of the Bells of St. Francis. The members of our Victim/Witness Unit did their usual outstanding job tending to every detail in planning the event.
Ornaments with the names of those lost to violence were hung on four wreaths that will be on display in the lobby of our 11th floor office at 201 Poplar for anyone and everyone to visit during the holiday season.
This was the first year to hold the Season of Rembrance at the Mike Rose Theatre, so a big thanks to our partners at the University of Memphis. The total attendance was 392. Please be safe now and in the coming year, and do all you can to help stop the violence.
|
