Mecklenburg DA says Charlotte's criminal justice system is 'dated in the 1980s'

Spencer Merriweather calls system outdated and suggests it's too slow and inefficient

The following article appeared in the Jan. 15, 2024, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.

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District attorney says he needs more prosecutors from the state

Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather said in blunt terms on Tuesday that Charlotte has an outdated criminal justice system — and suggested that it is too slow and inefficient, which frustrates crime victims and endangers residents.

In a discussion at the Rotary Club of Charlotte, Merriweather seemed to lay much of the blame at the feet of the state legislature for not adequately funding positions for prosecutors in Mecklenburg, the state’s second-largest county.