A terrifying scene unfolded outside of a North Carolina courthouse last week, where a disgruntled litigant shot opposing counsel after a tense hearing in a civil case involving a police department’s officer-worn body camera video.
According to WRAL News, lawyers representing the Rolesville Police Department — associate Mary Harris and counsel Jeffrey Whitley of Fox Rothschild — had just exited the Wake County courthouse in Raleigh when pro se plaintiff Gwendolyn White, 57, who reportedly “became belligerent” during the hearing, allegedly opened fire.
Fox Rothschild offered this statement in the wake of the shooting:
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“First and foremost, our thoughts are with our colleagues and their loved ones. We are doing everything possible to support them. We are grateful to the first responders and courthouse personnel who acted quickly to come to their aid. We cannot adequately express our deep sadness and concern. The safety and well-being of our people is our highest priority. We are closely monitoring the situation, and our leadership team traveled to our Raleigh office today to provide on-the-ground support.”
Harris and Whitley are both expected to survive their injuries.
White, who has a long history of filing frivolous lawsuits, was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder. She had her first appearance this morning, and was denied bond. If convicted, White could face up to 65 years in prison.
Police: Both lawyers shot outside Wake County courthouse expected to survive [WRAL News]
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Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.