NC Criminal Law

Jeff Welty on Friday, May 8th, 2026

Just over a week ago, former FBI Director James Comey was indicted in the Eastern District of North Carolina. This press release from the United States Department of Justice explains that Comey faces two counts. The first alleges that he “knowingly and willfully made a threat to take the life of . . . the President of the United States . . . by publicly posting...

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If evidence is excluded by the trial court, the proponent of the evidence generally must provide an adequate offer of proof regarding the nature of the excluded evidence in order to argue on appeal that the evidence should have been allowed. See G.S. 8C-103(a)(2).

A judge must accept a plea arrangement that involves only charges and no sentence recommendation, as long as the judge determines the plea is the product of an informed choice of the defendant and there is a factual basis for the plea. See G.S. 15A-1023(c).

A statement of charges, criminal summons, arrest warrant, citation or magistrate’s order may be amended at any time before or after final judgment as long as the amendment does not change the nature of the offense charged. G.S. 15A-922(f).

Prosecution of the defendant for an infraction will bar a subsequent prosecution for a more serious offense arising out of the same conduct.

Evidence of the victim’s character may be introduced in two circumstances: First, the defendant may introduce evidence of a “pertinent trait” of the victim’s character. G.S. 8C-404(a)(2). The most common example is evidence of the victim’s violent character, offered when the defendant is claiming self-defense. Second, in homicide cases, the state may offer evidence of the victim’s character trait for “peacefulness” to rebut a claim by the defense that the victim was the first aggressor.