Articles Tagged with Pattern Jury Instructions NC

This guide explains how North Carolina prosecutors and defense lawyers analyze death by vehicle charges, proximate cause, and charging discretion in impaired-driving fatalities

1. The Case May Reach the Prosecutor Long After the Train Has Left the Station

In some North Carolina jurisdictions, prosecutors learn about fatal crashes well after law enforcement has already made critical decisions. Pre-COVID charging decisions in some districts, such as in Mecklenburg County, generally involved officers consulting with the District Attorney’s office before charging in death-by-vehicle cases. That practice ended in many jurisdictions, though it continues in others. Prosecutors may receive case files only after arrest warrants have been issued, charges have been filed, and media coverage has begun. In other prosecutorial districts, prosecutors become involved at the scene and participate directly in the initial charging decision.