VOTE411 Voter Guide

I have been a state and federal prosecutor, a civil litigator and criminal defense lawyer, General Counsel at Davidson College, and Volunteer Lawyer of the Year for Legal Aid. I've taught classes in Poverty Law and Social Justice at Davidson and Constitutional Law at UNCC. I've served on the Boards of Legal Services of Southern Piedmont and the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, and I am currently In-House Counsel to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. At every step along the way I have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to justice and to the administration of justice, to due process, equal protection under the law for all persons, and to the treatment of every individual with dignity and respect.

While I do not think that judicial elections should be partisan, my lifelong affiliation as a member of the Democratic Party indicates a commitment to a certain set of values with which I am proud to be associated: Civil Rights, the importance of an independent judiciary unbending to the political biases of a rogue legislature or tyrannical executive, and the fundamental rights of due process and equal protection under the law for all persons, no matter the color of their skin, whom they love, or even whether they are lawfully in the United States.

While Superior Court Judges in North Carolina do not handle family law matters or juvenile cases, they do preside over the most serious felony cases. I have been a felony prosecutor at both the State and Federal levels - as an Assistant District Attorney and an Assistant United States Attorney during the Obama administration - for more than 12 years. I have tried more than 50 felony jury trials as a prosecutor. And then, in private practice, I have represented individuals charged with the same sort of felonies that I had previously prosecuted, gaining invaluable experience and perspective. In my current role In-House with the Sheriff's Office, I serve our justice system in a number of administrative positions.

I am proud to have the endorsement of every Superior Court Judge in Mecklenburg County permitted to endorse in my race. I have also earned the endorsements of career prosecutors in our District Attorney's Office, as well as the Public Defender in Mecklenburg County and leadership in the Criminal Defense Bar. To have the bilateral support of these adversaries in the courtroom says much about my reputation at the courthouse: for my understanding of and appreciation for the rule of law, for how I treat all individuals with dignity and respect, and for my commitment to the fundamental principles of due process and equal protection for all persons. I have the support of the most experienced civil litigators in Mecklenburg County and across the state. And finally, I am honored to have earned the endorsements of the Charlotte-Metrolina Labor Council and of the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

I am a dedicated legal professional with years of experience on both sides of the courtroom—first as a federal public defender, later as a civil litigator, and now as a homicide prosecutor. All of these perspectives have shaped me into the professional that I am today, and I will not shed those perspectives at the courtroom door as a Superior Court Judge. I am the only candidate in this race who works in Superior Court every single day, and that direct experience matters for the job for which I am applying. I am not a candidate who wants you to believe that experience in one court automatically qualifies me to be a judge in another court, because it doesn't. I am also not a candidate who is limited to one term, and that truly matters.

While I am a Democrat, my primary allegiance is to the Constitution and the North Carolina General Statutes. The party's platform reflects my core values - fairness, equality under the law, and the protection of individual rights - but it does not dictate my rulings. A judge's role is to be a neutral arbiter, ensuring politics never enters the courtroom. I will apply the law consistently and impartially to every person who walks through the door, regardless of their political affiliation. My party identity informs my commitment to justice, and my judicial oath ensures that justice is blind.

I am in Superior Court every single day—fighting for justice, arguing the law, preparing cases for trial, and convincing judges and juries to find in my favor. As a Senior Assistant District Attorney, I handle the worst of the worst—murder, rape, drug trafficking, child exploitation cases, etc. Notably, I was the first prosecutor in the State of North Carolina to prosecute a defendant for Death by Distribution. I also have extensive experience as a federal public defender and in civil litigation, providing me with multiple perspectives to rely upon in handling every case in Superior Court. My direct, real-world experience has provided me with the right kind of experience to serve our community as a Superior Court Judge for decades to come.

I am an only child raised by a single mother. I put myself through college and then law school. Just like my mother, I worked hard to earn everything I have. After law school, I committed myself to public service to give back to our community. As a federal public defender, I stood next to my clients when they needed an advocate. As a prosecutor, I stand next to victims of crime and their families when they need a voice to get justice. I taught evening students at the local community college who worked toward completing their education in order to build a better life and themselves and their families. This is what community is about, and this is just part of what I would bring to the Superior Court bench. My daily experience in Superior Court has provided me with the skills necessary to apply the law equally, justly, and without fear or favor toward anyone. I am ready, willing, and eager to continue my proud record of public service as a Superior Court Judge.