Steve Mensing, Editor
♦ Lately in area media stories we’ve seen blame directed at our District Attorney Brandi Cook and the our local judges for the challenge of weak sentences for Salisbury’s revolving door felons.
Local attorneys, veteran Salisbury police, and police who left for better pay and superior morale elsewhere have told me the problem of “weak sentences” and revolving door felons resides largely with current Salisbury Police investigations and the department’s lack experienced criminal investigators.
Police Chief Rory Collins admitted publically, when being grilled by attorney Todd Paris, that somewhere in the vicinity of 75% of the Salisbury Police Department departed over the last 5 years. Along those who left the Salisbury Police were crime scene investigator Sherry Curry (Gone to Norfolk Southern Railroad) and Kenny Lane a very experienced and astute investigator who was wrongfully terminated.
What is hamstringing our local prosecutors is the Salisbury Police’s mishandling of evidence and bollixing up of crime scenes. Quite often prosecutors lack convincing evidence and are forced to plea bargain for lesser sentences. Factor in the enormous volume of felons dwelling in Salisbury and their lengthy records. Salisbury has become a violent cesspool brimming with repeat offenders. They also happen to shoot and rob people.
District Attorney Brandi Cook and our judges are not to blame for Salisbury N.C.’s army of revolving door felons. Look to our “security guard” Chief Collins and the police department’s lack of experienced investigators.
