Community advocates continue to seek bail reform in North Carolina

A violent start to 2023 in the Queen City has the community calling for Change on New Year's Day alone three Shootings turning deadly one victim was A child tonight A Charlotte family that Knows the impact of gun violence All Too Well has a message seven Robinson lost Her son Kyrie five years ago after a Shooting in Charlotte in 2017. police Told Robinson that her son was the 55th Homicide that year now the mother Sharing with our shamaria Morrison how She wants to see laws changed to stop Other families from the heartache she Now lives Seven Robinson and her husband Charles Are on a mission to stop gun violence in The Queen City her son Kyrie was a Victim of gun violence I take him Everywhere with me because vision is Everything Because this is how it's going to be This is how I talk to my son this is how I communicate with him Robinson who organizes a March against Gun violence every year is calling for Changes to bail some laws need to be Changed Because if not there will be women like Myself That will still have A life sentence and they haven't even Committed a crime in North Carolina Magistrates get the first chance to set

A defendant's bond each district court In the state has different guidelines For how much a bond should be depending On the charge I'm not for locking folk Up but if you're going to squeeze that Trigger you need to go to jail the Robinsons aren't alone in this fight Mecklenburg counties district attorney Spencer Meriwether and cmpd chief Johnny Jennings have publicly criticized the State's law on bail for violent Criminals the jail downtown is a Revolving door The bonds are too low the efforts to Change bail laws will face scrutiny due To current reports that show major Disparities in Bales according to the North Carolina Commission of racial and Ethnic disparities black and Latino People are more likely than white people To be denied bail to have a higher money Bond set and to be detained because they Cannot pay their bond our communities Are under siege right now And if we keep on you know we don't have A future because all the future either Going to be in jail Or in the graveyard we can't have that The Robinsons say higher bonds for Violent offenders protect these same Communities Shamari Morrison WCNC Charlotte

History of Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina is the largest city in the state. With nearly 800,000 residents, it is also the largest city in the Carolinas. The city is located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, surrounded by rolling hills and mountains.

The Piedmont region is a wide band of rolling hills extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east. It includes the Catawba River. This region is known for its wineries and vineyards.

In 1852, the first railroad in western North Carolina came to Charlotte. The city became a favored trading center for the region. Soon, other factories began to emerge.

After the Civil War, Charlotte’s fortunes took a turn for the better. The discovery of gold in the area encouraged the establishment of banks and other industries. Several cotton mills were built, as well as a number of textile-related industries.

Charlotte’s growth was further accelerated by the invention of the electric power industry. By the early 20th century, the city had become a leading center of the textile and industrial sectors of the Piedmont region.

Another factor that helped Charlotte grow was the end of slavery in the rural areas of the south. A large portion of the population was free, and the plantation economy of the region changed significantly.

When the Civil War ended, the city of Charlotte was in a prime position to benefit from the nationwide boom. There were four railroads converged in the city.