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>>> >> WCNC THIS IS FLASHPOINT. WHERE POWER AND POLITICS
COLLIDE, AND THE TOUGH
QUESTIONS GET ASKED AND
ANSWERED.
>> GOOD SUNDAY MORNING PICK YOU
FOR JOINING US HERE ON
FLASHPOINT I AM BEN THOMPSON
HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD FOURTH OF
JULY WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO DO
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
SO WE WANT TO TAKE TODAY TO
TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE BIGGEST
STORY SO FAR.
THE BIGGEST STORY BY FAR NORTH
CAROLINA DISTRICT 9. THE STATE
BOARD OF ELECTIONS STEPPING IN,
CALLING FOR A NEW ELECTION THAT
CALL CAME THREE MONTHS AT THE
NOVEMBER ELECTION IN WHICH IT
APPEARED THAT MARK HARRIS ONE.
HOWEVER AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF
ELECTION FRAUD THEY REFUSED TO
CERTIFY THE RACE AND AFTER
HEARING THE BOARD VOTED TO HOLD
A NEW ELECTION ENTIRELY.
LET'S TAKE YOU BACK TO THAT
HEARING IN FEBRUARY AND SHOW
YOU HOW THE BOARD MADE ITS
DECISION.>> ON THIS DAY THE MAN
CLAIMED AT THE CENTER OF THE
ELECTION FRAUD ALLEGATIONS TOLD
HER TO COLLECT BALLOTS AND
FALSELY SIGNED THEM AS A
WITNESS.
SHE ALSO CLAIMED THAT HE TOLD
HER TO PLEAD THE FIFTH ON THE
STAND GIVING HER STATEMENT TO
READ.>> HE PROVIDED YOU ON THAT
FIRST EVENING.
CAN YOU READ THAT TO THE BOARD?
>> IT SAYS I HAVE NOT DONE
ANYTHING WRONG IN THIS
SELECTION.
AND THAT HE NEVER TOLD ME TO DO
ANYTHING WRONG.
AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE HE HAS
NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG THAT
I AM TAKING THE FIFTH AMENDMENT
BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE AN
ATTORNEY AND I FEEL LIKE SHE
WOULD TRY TO TREAT ME THAT I'M
TAKING THE SEAT.
>> HE BELIEVED MARK HARRIS WAS
INNOCENT IN ALL OF THIS.
MARK HARRISON'S LAWYERS SAID
THAT HE IN FACT DID NOT KNOW
ABOUT THE DIRTY DEALINGS.
THEY SAID THAT HE WAS UNAWARE
OF THE REPORT PLAYING BUT THERE
IS A CHANCE THAT SOMEONE IN THE
COUNTY KNEW.
>> AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE HEARD
IN THE PAST TWO DAYS, DO YOU
THINK SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN
THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT QUITE
UP?
>> I DO NOT KNOW ANYBODY ON THE
CAMPAIGN SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.
I THINK PERHAPS THIS IS
DEFINITELY ASKING ME TO
SPECULATE.
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN PEOPLE THAT
SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.
THE COURT -- THE BOARD SHOULD
HAVE KNOWN.
>> IT WASN'T THAT SOMEONE WHO
KNEW WAS MARK'S OWN SON.
HE TESTIFIED THAT HE WARNED HIS
FATHER VERBALLY AND IN EMAILS
OF HIS SUSPICIONS THAT THE
DALLAS WAS INVOLVED IN AN
UNLAWFUL ABSENTEE BALLOT
SCHEME.>> I EXPRESSED MY
CONCERNS BASED ON EVERYTHING
THAT I DID KNOW UP TO THAT
POINT.
JUST THE GENERAL SENSE OF
REPORTS THAT I WAS GIVING BACK
BUT I KNEW HE WAS KIND OF A
SHADY CHARACTER.
>> BROUGHT THE ELDER HARRIS TO
TEARS.
ONE POLITICAL ANALYST SAID IT
WAS NUCLEAR.
DURING QUESTIONING ABOUT HIS
SON'S WARNING MARK HARRIS
ADMITTED THAT HE DID NOT TAKE
IT AS A MAJOR WARNING.>> I
DIDN'T TAKE IT AS A MAJOR
WARNING.>> AFTER SEVERAL HOURS
OF QUESTIONING AT A CLOSED
SESSION MARK HARRIS RETURNED TO
THE HEARING ROOM DEFEATED.
>> TO THE TESTIMONY I HAVE
LISTENED TO OVER THE PAST THREE
DAYS I BELIEVE A NEW ELECTION
SHOULD BE HELD.
IT IS BECOME CLEAR TO ME THAT
THE PUBLIC DISTRICT IN THE
GENERAL ELECTION HAS BEEN
UNDERMINED AND TO AN EXTENT
THAT A NEW ELECTION IS
WARRANTED.
>> THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS
CALLING FOR A NEW ELECTION
AFTER 90 MINUTES AFTER HE
CALLED FOR ONE HIMSELF.
>> I BELIEVE THAT IT IS A
UNANIMOUS VOTE.>> THERE WAS,
MARK HARRIS DECIDED NOT TO RUN
AGAIN WHICH LEFT THE DOOR OPEN
TO REPUBLICANS.
HE ENDED UP RUNNING.
DAN BISHOP CAME UP ON TOP.
LIBERTARIAN JEFF SCOTT AND
PARTY CANDIDATE WILL ALSO BE
THERE ON THE BALLOT.
AFTER THE FIELD WAS SET THE
START OF THE RACE ADDED ANOTHER
BIZARRE CHAPTER.
A DAY AFTER WINNING THE
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY THE NEWS
CONFERENCE WAS CALLED RIGHT
AFTER THE NEWS CONFERENCE 30
DAYS AFTER McCREADY WAS
SUPPOSED TO SPEAK.
HE BROUGHT WITH HIM A CARDBOARD
CUTOUT OF HIM SAYING THAT THE
THAT WAS GIVEN AS MANY ANSWERS
AS McCREADY HIMSELF.
BOTH MEN CRITICIZE THE OTHER
FOR NOT ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON
THE BIG ISSUES.>> TO THE VOTERS
OF THE NINTH DISTRICT.
YOU DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU
ARE GETTING IN YOUR NEXT
PRIMARY.
I AM THE RIGHT MAN.
I AM CLEAR WHERE I STAND ON THE
ISSUE.>> THAT MAN WILL NOT
STAND UP FOR YOU.
>> SENATOR BISHOP WILL NOT EVEN
GIVE NORTH CAROLINA CITIZENS A
STRAIGHT ANSWER.
WILL HE OR WILL HE NOT SUPPORT
REPEALING FOR THE COURT?>> LOOK.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO FIX WHAT IS
WRONG WITH WASHINGTON UNTIL WE
CHANGE THE KINDS OF PEOPLE THAT
WE SEND THERE.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO STAND
ANOTHER INSIDER CAREER OF
POLITICIAN LIKE SENATOR BISHOP
TO WASHINGTON.
WE NEED TO SEND PEOPLE TO
WASHINGTON WHO WILL PUT COUNTRY
OVER ANY POLITICAL PARTY.
AND PEOPLE BEFORE ANY POLITICAL
AGENDA.
THAT IS WHAT THIS RACE IS ALL
ABOUT.>> THAT WAS DISTRICT 9.
NOW SWITCHING GEARS.
THE QUEEN CITY DEALING WITH AN
ALARMING HOMICIDE RATE SO FAR
THIS YEAR AS OF THIS TAPING
THERE HAVE BEEN 59 HOMICIDES.
THAT IS MORE THAN ALL OF LAST
YEAR PUT TOGETHER.
THE POLICE CHIEF CALLING FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY.>> I DO NOT HAVE
TO POINT FINGERS.
YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE FACTS.
>> ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF IT IS
TIME FOR OTHERS TO SHARE THE
BLAME WHEN IT COMES TO THE
STAGGERING HOMICIDE RATE.
>> I AM TIRED OF THE VIOLENCE.
I WANT EQUAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND
I DO NOT SEE THAT THAT EXISTS
RIGHT NOW.
NUMEROUS MANY OF THEM WITH
FILING RHYMES HAPPENING ACROSS
CHARLOTTE ARE BEING COMMITTED
BY PEOPLE WHO ARE REPEAT
OFFENDERS.
>> IF YOU HAVE COMMITTED
VIOLENT IF YOU HAVE TRIED TO
KILL SOMEBODY.
YOU SHOULD NOT BE ON THE
STREETS SO YOU COULD KILL
AGAIN.
>> BUT THE CHIEF SAYS ALL TOO
OFTEN PEOPLE WITH A HISTORY OF
VIOLENCE ARE GETTING OUT OF
JAIL ON ELECTRONIC MONITORS
ONLY TO COMMIT CRIMES AGAIN.
>> I JUST POSED THE QUESTION,
WHO IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE?
EVERY OTHER STEP IN THE JUSTICE
PROCESS.>> THE LATEST CASES ARE
SOME OF THE MOST DISTURBING PIT
POLICE SAY THAT A CHARLOTTE
STUDENT WAS KIDNAPPED AND RAPED
BY A 15-YEAR-OLD WHO WAS
WEARING AN ANKLE MONITOR.
A 17-YEAR-OLD ALSO KILLED IN A
BOX ROBBERY.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE ARRESTED ALSO
WEARING AN ANKLE MONITOR.>> IT
GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THIS
HAS TO STOP.
TO ME, PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR
LIVES AND BEING VICTIMIZED BY
THESE REPEATED FELONY
OFFENDERS.>> THE POLICE SAY
THAT DETECTIVES KEEP AN EYE ON
AROUND 400 PEOPLE AT ANY GIVEN
TIME.
SOME OF THE SUSPECTS MONITORED
WERE TWO OR THREE TIMES IN THE
SAME YEAR.
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE 20 HOMICIDE
SUSPECT BEING MONITORED WHO ARE
OUT ON BOND AWAITING TRIAL.
LAST YEAR TWO PEOPLE WERE
CHARGED WITH MURDER WHILE OUT
ON BOND WITH AN ELECTRONIC
MONITOR.
THE COURT WATCHDOG GROUP SAYS
THREE THINGS ARE TO BLAME.
>> BAD POLICY, LACK OF COMMON
SENSE AND POOR LEADERSHIP.
>> CALLING FOR AN OVERHAUL, THE
CHIEF SAID THAT CRIME WILL NOT
GO DOWN UNTIL THE COURT
CRACKDOWN.>> INITIALLY WE ARE
NOT SEEING THIS LEVEL NOW
PEOPLE ARE MORE BRAZEN.
AND A MONITOR ON THEIR ANKLE IS
NOT ENOUGH TO PREVENT THEM FROM
COMMITTING CRIMES.>> AND THE
LATEST HOMICIDE VICTIM ONE OF
THE LATEST STEMMING FROM AN
ALLEGED DOMESTIC DISPUTE THAT
TURNED DEADLY.
JUST BEFORE THE STABBING
OFFICERS RECEIVED A CALL AT
THAT SAME HOME FOR A DOMESTIC
DISPUTE.
WHEN OFFICERS GOT TO THE HOME
THOUGH THE SPOKE TO A WOMAN WHO
TOLD HIM THAT NO CRIME HAD BEEN
COMMITTED.
HOURS LATER A 35-YEAR-OLD
MOTHER OF TWO WAS DEAD CITY
COUNTY LEADERS ARE ACTIVELY
WORKING TO COMBAT THIS KIND OF
PROBLEM.>> DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS
A CANCER AND IT IS KILLING OUR
COMMUNITY.
>> CHARLOTTE POLICE SAY THAT
THEY SPEND MORE TIME
INVESTIGATING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
THAN ANY OTHER CRIME.
RESPONDING TO AN AVERAGE OF 25
CALLS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS HAVE
BEEN TALKING FOR YEARS ABOUT
CREATING THE FAMILY JUSTICE
CENTER.
A PLACE THAT WOULD HOUSE EVERY
RESOURCE OF VICTIM AND FAMILY
WOULD NEED UNDER ONE ROOF.
IT WOULD ALSO HELP LAW-
ENFORCEMENT PROTECT AND SERVE
THOSE SURVIVORS.
>> BECAUSE OF THAT SURVIVOR IS
AT EASE.
IF THAT SURVIVOR AND HER FAMILY
FEELS AS IF THEY HAVE
EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED WHEN
THEY WALK IN A CENTER LIKE
THAT.
THAT MAKES ALL OF OUR JOBS A
LOT EASIER.
>> THE FIRST FAMILY JUSTICE
CENTER FIRST OPENED BACK IN
2002.
SINCE THEN, MORE THAN 130
OTHERS HAVE OPENED ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
INCLUDING SEVERAL HERE IN NORTH
CAROLINA.
AND THEY ARE WORKING.
>> THE COUNTY HAD 13 HOMICIDES.
IN 2013, THEY OPENED THEIR
FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER IN 2015
AT ZERO.
>> NOW TWO YEARS SINCE THE
PLANS WERE ANNOUNCED.
THERE IS STILL NO PUBLIC
TIMELINE FOR WHEN THAT CENTER
COULD OPEN HERE.
THE DA IS SAYING THAT HE UP
SEVEN ANNOUNCEMENT SOON.
>> THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD WORK
BEING DONE.
I HOPE WE HAVE HOPEFULLY SOME
MORE TO SAY IN THE NEXT COUPLE
OF MONTHS.>> TO THE HOMICIDES
HERE IN CHARLOTTE BACK ON APRIL
30 THE 22-YEAR-OLD ACCUSED OF
GOING ON A CAMPUS OPENING FIRE
INSIDE THE KENNEDY BUILDING
INSIDE A CLASS IN THEIR 21-YEAR-
OLD RILEY AT 19-YEAR-OLD ELLIS
WITH THE TWO STUDENTS THAT WERE
KILLED.
ANOTHER FOUR OF THEM WERE
INJURED.
THE SHOOTING HAPPENED ON THE
LAST DAY OF CLASS FOR THE
SPRING SEMESTER.
ONE WITNESS SAYS THAT THE
SUSPECT WALKED TOWARDS A
PARTICULAR TABLE AND BEGAN TO
FIRE AT THE PEOPLE SEATED
THERE.
THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER WAS
INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY ON 12
COUNTS INCLUDING MURDER,
ATTEMPTED MURDER AND ASSAULT
WITH A DEADLY WEAPON.
THE CASE WILL NOW GO BEFORE
STATE SUPERIOR COURT.
DREW, ONE OF THE SURVIVORS OF
THE UNC CHARLOTTE SHOOTING SAYS
THAT THE SHOOTING CHANGED HIS
LIFE FOREVER.
AND THERE IS NO GOING BACK TO
NORMAL.
HE PENNED AN OPEN LETTER ON
SOCIAL MEDIA CALLING FOR CHANGE
CALLING" I HAVE REACHED A POINT
WHERE I AM NO LONGER CONCERNED
ABOUT UPSETTING ANYONE BECAUSE
I NEEDED TO DO THIS FOR MYSELF.
AND IN MY OPINION BE STRONG AND
INSPIRATIONAL MEANS SPEAKING
OTHERS WHEN OTHERS CANNOT OR
WON'T.
I AM SICK, AND TIRED OF ALL THE
VIOLENCE IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT SEEMS I CANNOT GO A DAY WITH
THE NEW MASS SHOOTING APPEARING
IN THE NEWS.>> AND OTHER NEWS
THE DEBATE OVER 280 7G
CONTINUES IN NORTH CAROLINA THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSING A BILL
THAT WOULD REQUIRE CHEFS TO
WORK WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION
AGENTS.
THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE POLICE
TO CHECK EVERYONE THEY ARREST
AGAINST THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION
DATABASE.
AND POTENTIALLY DETAIN THE
IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS.
THE COUNTY SHERIFF GARETH
McLAGAN SAID THAT HE REVIEWED
THIS WHILE HE WAS RUNNING.
HE SAID IN PART THE BILL
THREATENS THE TRUST I HAVE
SPENT A CAREER TRYING TO BUILD
BETWEEN LAW-ENFORCEMENT AND THE
COMMITTEE.
INCLUDING THE EMIGRANT
COMMITTEE.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS EXPERIMENT
THE RESULT IS THAT OUR
COMMITTEE WILL BE LESS SAFE AND
MORE DIVIDED.>> SPEAKING OF
IMMIGRATION CHARLOTTE BECAME
THE FIRST OF THE GOVERNMENT AND
THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT TO PASS
AN IMMIGRATION POLICY CHANGE
THAT IS IN PART TO KEEP THE
STATE REPUBLICAN SOME WEIGHING
IN ON WHAT THE DIVISIVE ISSUE
OF IMMIGRATION IS.
HOWEVER, SEVERELY TO SAY THAT
IT WILL START A CONVERSATION
AND IMPROVED MEDICATION WAS
CHARLOTTE'S IMMIGRANT
COMMITTEES.
CONGRESS IS TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT
IMMIGRATION ACROSS THE NATION.
THERE WERE 283 DEATHS ALONG THE
SOUTHERN BORDER LAST YEAR.
DEMOCRATS ARE POINTING TO THE
DROWNING OF A SALVADORAN FATHER
AND DAUGHTER AS THE LATEST ON
THIS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
THEY BLAME THE PRESIDENT FOR
THE BORDER CRISIS.
WHILE HE OF COURSE BLAME THE
DEMOCRATS.
>> IF WE HAD THE RIGHT LAW THAT
THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT LETTING
US HAVE, THOSE PEOPLE WOULD NOT
BE COMING UP.
IT WAS THE PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS
AT THE BORDER ARE A WHIRLWIND
OF UNCONFIDENT GOOD LEADING TO
PICTURES