Guest Author's blog

Guest Post by Eric Muller, crossposted from Is That Legal?

There's much talk here in Chapel Hill about a judge's recent decision to throw out the confession of Andrew Dalzell to the murder of Deborah Leigh Key--a murder that had gone unsolved for nearly eight years.

Dalzell, who had long been a suspect in the murder, was arrested in another part of the state for obtaining property by false pretenses. Dalzell was not immediately read his Miranda rights. In preparation for the ride back to the Chapel Hill area (Carrboro, for you local folk), Carrboro police officers prepared a fake arrest warrant for the murder and left it on the seat next to Dalzell so that he could see it. They also got a piece of the District Attorney's stationery (with the D.A.'s consent) and concocted a phony letter in which the District Attorney said he was seeking the death penalty for Key's murder. An officer read Dalzell the bogus letter during the ride back to Carrboro.

Guest Post by Terri Buckner

The recent debates over the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery and, to a lesser extent, the protection of 3 unmarked graves behind Brewer Lane in Carrboro illustrate the importance local residents and elected officials place on historical preservation. Rather than discussing the protection of a particular building or site, let's explore historic preservation in more detail and see if we can't come up with some recommendations of our own to provide local officials.

Guest Post by Janeen Gingrich

In response to the November 29th domestic violence homicide of Shennel McKendall, 37, on UNC's campus, the Family Violence Prevention Center of Orange County and Family Violence & Rape Crisis of Chatham County are hosting a vigil tonight at 5:30pm at the Franklin Street Post Office. For further details about the homicide, please see the Raleigh News and Observer articles entitled “Man kills wife, self” from November 30th, 2004 and “Murder-suicide prompts focus on prevention” on December 2nd, 2004.

In light of these events, please join us in sending the message that domestic violence will not be tolerated in our community.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMMUNITY VIGIL
Tuesday, December 7, 2004
5:30 p.m. – Rain or Shine
Franklin Street Post Office, Chapel Hill

For additional information, please call (919) 929-3872.

Organized by the Family Violence Prevention Center of Orange County and Family Violence and Rape Crisis of Chatham County