The defense has rested  in the trial of Jason Williford, who charged with the 2010 rape and murder of N.C. State Board of Education member Kathy Taft.

Defense lawyers have not tried to deny Williford killed Taft. Instead, they’re trying to keep him off death row by trying to prove the crime was not premeditated – a requirement required for the death penalty under North Carolina law.

source:  wtvd.com

People living near the church in Oakwood Park have made hundreds of calls to police over the course of several years to complain about noise at The Glorious Church on Glascock Street, and now the church has been cited for violating a city noise ordinance.

“We have neighbors who live right next door to the church who can’t do anything in their homes because of the volume,” said neighbor Heidi Miller. “The church is so loud that they can’t listen to the TV, can’t listen to their own music, because they are listening to the music of the church.”

Neighbors met with church leaders and Raleigh police four months ago to try to reach a compromise, but said the meeting was unsuccessful.

Church officials say they don’t believe the noise is disruptive to the neighborhood.

Source:  wral.com

Legislators will hold a public hearing in Raleigh about a bill that would pay $50,000 to people who were sterilized against their will.

Some victims are expected to attend the hearing, which will be held Tuesday at the Legislative Office Building. So far, the N.C. Justice for Sterilization Victims Foundation has identified 132 victims, of whom 118 are still alive.

The compensation bill was found last week in the House and Senate. Victims would receive a tax-free, lump-sum payment of $50,000 with a deadline of Dec. 31, 2015, to file a claim.

From 1929 to 1974, more than 7,600 people in North Carolina were surgically rendered unable to reproduce under state laws and rules that targeted people deemed unfit to be parents. They included epileptics, those considered mentally defective and many who were simply poor.

Jury deliberations have stretched into a third day as observers began to speculate on the possibility of a divided jury never reaching a verdict.

Past Presidential candidate John Edwards is accused of masterminding a scheme to use nearly $1 million in secret payments from Virginia heiress Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and Texas trial lawyer Fred Baron to help hide his pregnant mistress, Rielle Hunter, as he sought the White House in 2008.

Deliberations began Friday morning and the verdicts on each of the charges must be unanimous for either guilty or innocent.

Edwards faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on all six campaign finance corruption charges.

Edwards he has no prior criminal history, so if convicted he will likely face no more than four or five years behind bars under federal sentencing guidelines.

People are driving the extra mile to get gas 25 or 30 cents cheaper in Louisburg. 

The strip on U.S. Highway 401 or Bickett Blvd. in Louisburg has gas as low as $3.39 a gallon – cheaper than the $3.69 that you will find along Capital Blvd.

Drivers said they started noticing the prices drop around mid-April when a Sheetz opened along the stretch. 

source:  wral.com

Yesterday Edwards defense team told the judge that there were only 3 possible witnesses left that they may call to the stand.  Those are Edwards daughter, Cate, his former mistress, Rielle Hunter and Edwards himself.

Edwards has pleaded not guilty to six criminal counts including conspiracy to violate the Federal Election Campaign Act by accepting contributions that exceed limits and filing false campaign- finance statements.

Elon university professor and former federal prosecutor Steve Friendland states that “He’s got a huge mountain to overcome.”

source:   abcnews.go.com; abclocal.go.com

Health care professionals will be at the NC State Fairgrounds Exposition Center until 4pm today giving  free community health screenings to people with limited access to care. 

Professionals are doing blood pressure screenings, glucose and cholesterol checks for adults 18 years or older.

Free immunizations will also be available. 

The screening is a partnership of WakeMed Health and Hospitals, Duke Raleigh Hospital and Rex Healthcare, and is being held during National Hospital Week in conjunction with collaborative efforts of hospitals across the state to impact community health.

source:  wral.com

After yesterday’s primary votes NC voters sounded off with a 61% vote for the marriage amendment, prohibiting any union outside of a marriage between a man and a woman from being recognized in the state.

NC is now the 31st state to add an amendment on marriage to its constitution and the last state in the South to add such an amendment.

In related news President Barack Obama’s campaign expressed his disappointment in NC’s constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

NC Primaries TODAY! Get out and vote. Polls open now until 7:30pm. Leggo! Find your polling locations for NC here: http//www.ncsbe.gov .

It’s graduation time for many area colleges and on Saturday, first Lady Michelle Obama will deliver the commencement address at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro. 

On Friday she will speak to the graduates at Virginia Tech.

Michelle Obama is a graduate of Pinceton University and Harvard Law school.

source:  the N&O