Its Time For a Change - Cedar Posts Signs Off

It all began in 2009 with a miles long expose' of then newly hired police chief Rodney Monroe. 

I had met the new chief at a charity event and was unimpressed. His first to the buffet move and inability to acknowledge the rank and file in attendance was problematic to say the least and would become the hallmark of his time in Charlotte.

In short he had the personality of a sand gnat. Small and super annoying. 

I watched Rodney up close interact with command staff at Hornet's games and each time was dismayed at his inability to connect. He'd walk past officers and sergeants with sleeves full of service stripes and not speak to them.

At some point he figured out his floor seats where next to mine at the Hornet's games. The highlight of my life was sitting next to Vilma Leake and Rodney Monroe. (Sarcasm) Actually the theft of his golf cart during the Wells Fargo Tournament would be the highlight.

Or the time command told him raiding my home with a search warrant to take my computer wouldn't be a good idea since the Editor of the Charlotte Observer was my next door neighbor.

I was told my Naval Officer background was expecting too much, that lead by example and  never passing someone without an appropriate greeting was beyond Monroe's scope of ability.

It is my firm belief that Rodney Monroe's tenure at CMPD is represented by the legacy of low morale and inability to recruit new officers today.

My apologies to the many of CMPD who over the years have been accused of either being CP or giving leds. 

Somewhere Cedar Posts took a dark turn. And while providing a venue for current and former CMPD Officers to let off some steam and take swipes at command it has also gathered the attention of liberal nutbirds and cop haters. 

The cop haters have tried doxing, tried to cancel the CP twitter account and on more than one occasion tried to shut down the CP Blog. 

Truth be told CP only took on this idea as crime in Charlotte has exploded. Not a day goes by without a shocking crime of violence and a local media that remains silent refusing to address the fact that our DA is incompetent and judicial system is broken. 

Our Mayor is as dysfunctional as Chicago's Lori Lightfoot.

The murder Sunday of 32-year-old Ahylea Willard will be Cedar Posts final contribution of that sort.

Going forward Meckburbia will cover this sort of madness. 

I'm not sure if it will morph into the same dark look and feel of Cedar Posts. We shall see. 

I'm open to suggestions.

I do want to acknowledge the dozen CMPD, CFD and media types who provide content anonymously y'all better than I am at this. 

And so as Paul Harvey used to say after a long pause ...... page two....

The Arrest of Karen Baker's Killer Confirms Incompetence

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police announced Sunday that they had charged J’wuan Horton actually Juwan Horton AKA Juwan Marquies Horton and "J-Boosie" in the robbery and shooting death of Karen Baker. 

According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Karen Baker was killed in a random robbery on July 13 in the University City area of Charlotte. Her family said she was getting money from an ATM when it happened.

Now 3 months later CMPD says they have their man. 

But as expected the level of incompetency leading up to the death of Karen Baker is stunning.

On the morning of July 13, 2022 when Karen Baker was shot to death, Horton had been out of prison just four months. He had been released on February 25th after serving just 3 years for a string of armed robberies and felony breaking and entering that occured in February of 2018.

Despite the violent nature of his crimes the charges were consolidated and he was given only a three year and 8 month minimum sentence for the crimes that should have warranted a term of 20+ years.

On the Morning of July 13 bank surveillance cameras caught Horton on video as well as his getaway car. He remained at large in the weeks following the murder as CMPD and Baker's family pleaded for information.

Nearly 7 weeks later North Carolina Department of Community Corrections officers known to most offenders as simply their "PO" attempted to speak with Mr. Horton. 

Horton had been non-compliant with the terms of his release since the first day of his parole. 

When NC Parole Officers tried to approach Horton, he apparently thought he was being arrested for the murder of Baker and other crimes and refused to stop and the speak with the parole officers, leading them on a brief and unsuccessful car chase.

Photo Courtesy MCSO August 30, 2022

His "PO" charged him with Flee and Elude with a Motor Vehicle, No Drivers License, Reckless and Wanton Disregard, Speeding and Violating the Terms of his Parole. Horton was placed in the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office and was booked into the Mecklenburg County Jail. A week later a judge ordered Horton's release and he was back out on the streets of Charlotte.

Horton walked out of the Mecklenburg County Jail at 2 am on the morning of September 7th, 2022, once again free to continue his life of violent crime.

Sources tell CP that Horton was on CMPD's radar but that communication between the North Carolina Department of Public Safety Post Release Supervision and Parole officers is non-existent and that gap may be the reason Horton's arrest was never brought to the attention of CMPD Detectives. 

While this may explain why they had the killer in custody and turned him loose after one week it doesn't explain why Horton wasn't picked up right away or why he was given parole in the first place.

But let's repeat this: they had Karen Baker's killer in custody and a liberal judge turned him loose. 

Cedar Posts' Take: The real failure is an entire system that operates in favor of violent offenders and no longer protects the public, both within the courts and with those who are supposed to protect the community post release.

Horton was supposed to be on "parole with close supervision". Nothing could have been further from the truth.

The left hand (THE PO) had not a clue what the right hand (CMPD) was doing. Where was the breakdown?

Karen Baker's death is due to woeful negligence of the Mecklenburg County DA, North Carolina Courts, Parole Officers and a system that is broken beyond comprehension.

Demont Forte Charlotte's Menace To Society Back in Court Today

This afternoon career thug and felon Demont Forte will make another court appearance. Forte was arrested on July 4th and is facing charges of Felony, Assault, Common Law Robbery  and Conspiracy.

Forte was released on bail of $3,000.00 / $300.00 cash on July 6th despite violation of his terms of release on the assault on a female, assault with a deadly weapon, hit and run and property damage charges that he's facing for a road rage incident in 2021.

Forte is on the September 28 docket for those charges.

Mecklenburg County DA Spencer Merriweather dismissed all charges resulting from a 2017 stand off with CMPD where SWAT Officers were required to take Forte into custody for outstanding warrants for felony breaking and entering, assault on a female, and communicating threats. 

During that stand-off local media reported that Forte had been arrested more than 40 times, including for numerous violent and drug-related offenses. He was also arrested on a murder charge in April 1992.

SO why use Forte as an example?

Forte is a repeat felon who has escaped consequences again and again. 50 arrests over the last dozen years yet no convictions? Why? 

Keep in mind these are only the crimes he's been arrested for, only the ones where he's been caught.

As the above chart shows nearly 80% of the violent crimes in Charlotte are committed by African Americans. Yet they are less than 1/3 of the population. That means that based on these CMPD number by a 10-1 ratio blacks are commuting more violent crimes in the Queen City. But because they are only 1/3 of the population the ratio is actually 30-1 and that's insane. Simply put you will encounter 30 violet black felons before you ever meet up with one.

Why?

CP Update: Meck DA Spencer Merriweather has kicked the can down the road once again. Mr. Forte is back on the calendar for the AM session on 28 September Courtroom 4310 on the Road Rage Attack. Mr. Forte is still on the 30 August Calendar for the Felony Robbery charges from this year.

Violent But Common Ending For Charlotte's Career Criminals

Devonte Washington turned 18 on August 16th 2017 prior to that point his arrest record is hidden, showing only two known arrests in 2017, but the arrests started to pile up in 2018. 

Crimes he was convicted of in Gaston, Iredell and Mecklenburg, total 18, and ranged from B&E, weapons charges, auto theft, hit and run, resisting and flee and elude mostly felonies.

2019 was a hard year for Devonte Washington. He was arrested on January 22nd and again on February 10th. Then again on September 12, 16, 18 and 27 and then again on December 11th.

2020 wasn't much better as Washington was arrested on January 15th , July 31st and October 28th.

2021 saw arrests on February 2nd and 3rd.

Suspended sentences, probation and community service was the usual outcome. 

He ended up serving a couple of 120 day terms for violating the terms of his probation.

On March 20, 2021 he was released by Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden after his bail was reduced to unsecured. He had spent 16 days as a guest resident in McFadden's  Mecklenburg County Residence Inn. 

Less than 2 months later he would be shot dead on the street just blocks from that safe haven.

Devonte Washington is not unique, most of Charlotte Homicide victims are young Black men (38 of 46) often with a long record of violent prior crimes.

BLM Crowd scream about racism and a broken justice system. But Public officials have duty to protect citizens from crime and particularly violent crime. Sadly liberal judges and DA's have decided that their social agenda is best served by releasing violent felons like Devonte Washington.

To acknowledge that there is a problem in releasing habitual violent offenders would conflict with their narrative. 

Despite the facts that repeat violent felons are likely to never become lawful citizens they continue to release these individuals back on to the streets.

Remember Washington's record only includes those crimes for which he was actually caught.

At some point it was very clear that Washington was a danger to society and himself. Had Mecklenburg County judges and the DA fully prosecuted these crimes and sought a conviction as a habitual felon he would be alive today.

 

 

Emily Wall Now Age 30 Arrested Again

Local "Meth Queen" Emily Wall is back in Mecklenburg County Jail. CP's guess is that this is her 27th arrest and 29th stay at the McFadden Hilton. 

Is there not someone who can get this girl some help? I know Black Lives Matter and all that but could someone make an exception? At 30 she's really got a lot of living to do. But it would be sad if she spent it living in crack houses and on the street. Isn't there a judge that would say no release until your clean and sober, employed and in some sort of re-hab program. Or is Charloot just going to join Portland and say oh well its OK if some people are drugies?

Myers Park Neighbor of the Year Gregory Abrams

This video has been out for about a week maybe longer, so here's that back story as CP understands it. 

Over in Myers Park on Brandon Drive lives Gregory Abrams and his wife Jessica. They are from New Jersey via Florida. They've been a thorn in Myer's Park since they started an endless renovation project in 2016. 

The home has swelled from 3,200 in 2013 to just shy of 8,000 in 2019 and the construction projects continue. 

Literally every square inch of the back 2/3rds of Abrams lot is paved over or built on, creating massive amount of run-off that cascades into the adjoining neighbor's yards. 

This run off has repeatedly flooded neighbors yards and in the case of  the guy who confronts Dr. Abrams his garage which happens to be home to his 80 year old mother. 

Apparently her son the guy in the yellow shit decided to "have a word" with Greg about the flooding and the recent rains. Seems the son a Charlotte Country Day student is the one doing the video taping and can be heard encouraging his Greg to "woop his ass". 

Bonus fun: Entry in the property tax records states "discovered improvements" opps, no permit? 

A quick look at the county aerials shots and you can see why the neighbors hate the guy and construction has gone on for five years. Look at the mud covered street in the 2018 photo. Finally in 2020 it is done but the run off floods the neighbors yard.

And you can't do that. You are responsible for your runoff as I understand Mecklenburg County code. 

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Cedar's Take:

Myers Park is or at least was until now home to Charlotte's "old money" and if you didn't live in Myers Park or Eastover you either hadn't "made it" or you never will. 

Those who didn't fit in moved to the Quail Hollow or the Carmel Road areas. As other neighborhoods developed they all tried to emulate Myers Park. And still Myers Park withstood the test of time, the people, the streets and tree canopy the entire area dripped Southerness like a fresh cut honey dew melon. 

And then there's the McMansions like Dr. Abrams', you see them in front of Freedom Park the neo classical style gone to hell. The bigger the better and more stuff the merrier to hell with the neighbors.

And here we are.

Charlotte's Mayor Wants You To Be Uncomfortable About Race - Mayor We are Uncomfortable

Charlotte's Mayor goes all in on race further adding to the division, adding more fuel to the fire and the building on to the entitlement culture of Black America that always blames the color of their skin for their failures and demands more from White America. 

But first Mayor Lyles:

It's Time for Charlotte to be uncomfortable about race

Growing up in South Carolina during the Civil Rights Movement, I am no stranger to racial injustice. I attended segregated schools. I was a toddler when Emmett Till was lynched. As a teen I witnessed the aftermath of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Though I knew I couldn’t completely escape racism and discrimination at the time, I hoped things would be better in a more progressive city, so I set my sights on Charlotte for college. I quickly learned the battle Black America fights daily wasn’t limited to just one place. As protests against racial injustice and police brutality engulf our country, I’m reminded this ongoing fight isn’t limited to a moment in time.

The eight minutes and 46 seconds that George Floyd was pinned down by the police was not much different than the events I lived through in the 1960s. It’s why the same anger that exists in Minneapolis exists in other large cities and rural towns. Downtown and suburbia. It exists in Charlotte.

We share in the outrage and anger, because in mourning the death of George Floyd, we mourn the deaths of Keith Lamont Scott, Johnathan Ferrell, and Danquirs Franklin. We say their names. We march. We seek answers to why Black men and women continue to die at the hands of police.

In response, we call for reforms and create task forces. We do workshops and implement de-escalation tactics. Yet, we fall back into the comfortable places we’ve grown to know. We fall back into a place where black parents continue to have the ‘talk’ with their children – as I have done – on how to get out of traffic stops alive. We stop questioning why many in the Black community continue to live in segregated neighborhoods and accept low-wage jobs without healthcare or childcare. Professionally, members of the Black community become comfortable taking jobs at publicly-traded companies that lack diversity in the boardroom and in the c-suite.

We can no longer allow ourselves to fall back into those comfortable spaces. We aren’t just at a breaking point for systemic racism, but also a breaking point for the systemic comfort that we’ve grown to know.

It’s time to remain uncomfortable. We need to have the uncomfortable discussions, be uncomfortable in our approaches, and embrace the uncomfortable because that is where growth and change live.

We need more than policy and training changes and youth programs. The issue with systemic racism isn’t just a policing issue. It is education, jobs, development, planning. A systemic issue needs a systemic response.

For the corporations who call Charlotte home, we don’t just need their funding and messages of support but need the diversity in their offices and on their leadership teams. The actions of leadership must reflect those statements of solidarity, particularly in their hiring, promotion and customer service practices. We need these organizations to change the systemic practice of only recruiting in the top 10 percent of colleges and universities, which eliminates talented Black students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, state schools and community colleges.

And for our faith community, we need your support more than ever. we need to discuss your ideas and have your congregations join us in this call to action.

As mayor, I will continue to listen. I want to have the uncomfortable conversations that matter so we have a united community vision for systemic change.

We can model the change we want. We can work to eliminate systemic racism and define our future. It’s my commitment to help do that work and I ask you to join me in being uncomfortable. 

Vi Lyles is Mayor of Charlotte


Cedar's Take:

Vi Lyles is 67 and desperately trying to connect herself to the "events she lived through in 1960s". Keep in mind that she was only 12 in 1965.  

Next she'll tell you how confederate statues made her feel anxious while walking with Dr. King from Selma to Montgomery Alabama.

She continues and fortifies the myth of "systemic racism" never mind that our own city council maintains a solid people of color majority, and that every top level position within our city county government is occupied by an African American.

Mayor Lyles adds her voice to the claims of systemic racism in an effort to expand the territory of entitlement. Like Al Sharpton and so many others who continue to preach the victimhood of African Americans and the shame of White Guilt. 

Yet, Vi Lyles ignores the effect of crime on our community. Explaining "the talk" as if only black parents need to tell their children to be respectful of law enforcement officers. No, she preferrs blaming the police for doing their job and supporting the call to de-fund the police. Never mind that violent crime in Charlotte is solidly an African American issue. 

In our city of 32 homicides this year 28 are Young Black Men,  of the 18 known killers 100% are Young Black Men. Last year saw a 89% increase in homicides solely due to black on black violence.

The African American community has become a culture of violence embracing gun play and criminality as a way of life, and this has nothing to do with systemic racism. 

Mayor Lyles wants us to be uncomfortable about race, well mayor we are uncomfortable about race. We are uncomfortable with the surge in homicides, the increase in property crimes, drug dealing, armed robberies and domestic violence that is a solid a problem laid squarely at the feet of Charlotte's African American Community. 

Like all liberals Vi Lyles wants to blame White America for the pain of African Americans that can only be corrected by American Liberalism. Only the democrats can save Black Lives. Never mind they elect the same democrats year in and year out with absolutely zero reforms or progress. 

To Vi Lyles you aren't Black unless you're a democrat and if you are White and have not owned up to your slave owning history then you aren't legitimate. 

Painting Black Lives Matter on Tryon Street was just a easy way to for Mayor Lyles to remind African Americans how oppressed they are how bad they have it and that the only way for things to get better is to elect liberals because only the liberals will fight the oppression and systematic racism.

Never mind that she attended Queens College (Current Tuition $35,000 Annually) which has become fully divesityifed and lives in a 1/2 millon dollar home in South Charlotte far removed from the gun fire along Beatties Ford Road.