(photo by David Lat).
Judge John M. Tyson of the North Carolina Court of Appeals was ordered to answer a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. According to reports, protesters at a May 7th event said that a state-issued white SUV, allegedly driven by Tyson, nearly hit participants.
But Tyson’s attorney, David T. Courie Sr., has a different take:
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“I will say I’ve reviewed the surveillance footage,” he said. “It will be labeled Defense Exhibit #1.”
The video shows an SUV driving in a lane that is closed to traffic and painted with a mural adorned with the words “Black Lives Do Matter” and “End Racism Now.” One of the protesters, Myah Warren, testified that Tyson was driving the SUV and that it almost hit her and others. The group organizing the protest, FAM: Fayetteville Activist Movement, noted:
This vehicle circled the market house twice and on the second time veered into activists at approximately 6:28pm!!!
He then JUMPED the curb and we approached to get ID info on the car.
Footage of the SUV running up on the sidewalk has not been released.
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The Fayetteville Observer describes the footage that has been released:
One angle shows the SUV driving toward a camera in the inner lane for about five seconds before the vehicle appears to abruptly come to a near stop, then move forward. About four seconds later, the footage continues from an angle behind the vehicle as it approaches, then goes past three protesters. Two were standing on a curb and the other was a few feet into the lane as the SUV goes by.
Say what you will about the particulars of this case, but this never used to be an issue before Glenn Reynolds mouthed off.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).