North Carolina
Ronnie Long, North Carolina man who spent 44 years in prison after wrongful conviction, awarded $25M settlement
A North Carolina man who served more than 44 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted in 1976 has reached a historic $25 million combined settlement in a civil lawsuit, his attorneys said Tuesday.
Ronnie Long, 68, settled a civil lawsuit against the city of Concord, North Carolina, about 25 miles northeast of Charlotte, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, according to Duke Law School’s Wrongful Convictions Clinic. Long’s total settlement includes $22 million from the city and a previous $3 million settlement with the State Bureau of Investigation.
The clinic, which represents Long, said the settlement is the second-largest wrongful conviction settlement ever recorded. The settlement puts an end to the wrongful incarceration lawsuit that was filed by Long’s attorneys in 2021 and also included a public apology from the city of Concord.
Sonya Pfeiffer, one of Long’s attorneys, noted the rare apology and told USA TODAY that it was crucial for Long’s healing process and vital to the settlement. The city acknowledged Tuesday its responsibility for the “significant errors in judgment and willful misconduct by previous city employees that led to Long’s wrongful conviction and imprisonment.”
“We are deeply remorseful for the past wrongs that caused tremendous harm to Mr. Long, his family, friends, and our community,” the Concord City Council said in a statement. “While there are no measures to fully restore to Mr. Long and his family all that was taken from them, through this agreement we are doing everything in our power to right the past wrongs and take responsibility.”
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What happened to Ronnie Long?
Long, who is Black, was convicted by an all-white jury in 1976 for the rape of a “prominent white woman” in Concord, according to the Wrongful Convictions Clinic. The jury had been selected by local law enforcement leaders, who removed potential Black jurors from the jury pool, the clinic said.
Despite no physical evidence connecting Long to the rape and burglary, he was accused of, his attorneys said the prosecution used the victim’s identification of Long as their main piece of evidence.
But the prosecution’s evidence “was the product of a suggestive identification procedure arranged by the police to target Long, who did not match her original description of the assailant as a ‘yellow or really light-skinned Black male,’” the clinic said.
Evidence collected from the crime scene and a local hospital, including more than 40 fingerprints that did not match Long’s and a rape kit, were not shared with the defense, according to the clinic. At the time of trial, Concord Police Department officers gave false testimony about the evidence.
Long, 21 at the time, received two life sentences. After serving 44 years, 3 months and 17 days in prison, he was released in 2020.
‘He can never get this time back’
Long had appealed his case in February 2020 and a federal appeals court ruled that Long’s due process rights were violated at his trial, according to the clinic. Long’s conviction was then vacated and he was released from prison on Aug. 27, 2020.
Later that year, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper granted him a full pardon of innocence. In 2021, a state commission awarded Long $750,000 as compensation for victims of wrongful incarceration. He then sued in federal court in Raleigh, North Carolina, The Associated Press reported.
“No amount of money will ever compensate Ronnie Long for the 44 years he spent incarcerated and the indifference of numerous elected officials who fought to keep him incarcerated despite overwhelming evidence of his innocence,” Jamie Lau, a Duke Law clinical professor and Long’s criminal attorney, said in a statement Tuesday.
“While he was in prison his parents passed away; he missed birthdays, graduations, funerals, and other important events that mark a person’s life,” Lau added. “He can never get this time back.”
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Exonerations across the U.S.
Since 1989, there have been over 3,400 exonerations, where exonerated people spent more than 31,000 years in prison for crimes they did not commit, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.
The number of exonerations has also grown by almost 70% since 2017 — 3,200 compared to 1,900 — the registry said in its 2022 report on wrongful convictions in the United States.
The report noted racial disparities in major crime categories and reported that Black people comprise 53% of the 3,200 exonerations listed in the registry. According to the Equal Justice Initiative, false accusations and faulty forensics are some of the main causes of wrongful convictions.
“Judging from exonerations, innocent Black Americans are seven times more likely than white Americans to be falsely convicted of serious crimes,” the report added.
North Carolina has landed what is seemingly the final major piece of its frontcourt for the 2026-27 season, multiple sources have confirmed. Alexandros Samodurov announced his commitment to the Tar Heels on Saturday by way of Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.
The 6-foot-11 Greek native will bring international experience and an advanced skillset to a UNC program that was still looking to add a starting-worthy big man to its rotation. He’ll join 18-year-old 7-footer Sayon Keita, who committed to UNC a month ago, to man most of the minutes in the middle.
Now 21 years old, Samodurov plays for Panathinaikos in Greece’s top pro league, and also in EuroLeague. This is the same professional club as fellow Greece national team standout and UNC transfer commitment Neoklis Avdalas.
Samodurov earned All-Star honors with the Greece U20 National Team last summer, averaging 17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks at the FIBA U20 Eurobasket. He also averaged 4.9 points and 4.6 rebounds playing for the Greece Senior National Team last year.
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“The Panathinaikos forward has always been an intriguing prospect with his combination of elite size, ball-handling ability and flashes of passing, shooting and defensive playmaking,” said a FIBA report from the Eurobasket event.
Samodurov declared for the NBA Draft but the league announced on May 28 that he had withdrawn his name. He was ranked the No. 41 draft prospect in The Athletic’s Mock Draft and is No. 72 on ESPN’s Big Board.
New coach Michael Malone has been tasked over the past two months with overhauling the roster. Samodurov marks the seventh program acquisition, joining two previously committed high schoolers, and three returning players to form the 2026-27 roster.
Whether Samodurov or Keita start at center remains to be seen, but the other members of the starting lineup when UNC’s season opens in six months on Nov. 2 are expected to be Utah transfer Terrence Brown, NC State transfer Matt Able, Virginia Tech transfer Avdalas and returning forward Jarin Stevenson.
CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. — A Murphy, North Carolina man with prior felony convictions was sentenced this week after authorities say he was caught with a large cache of illegal drugs and firearms.
44-year-old John Anthony Barreiro of Murphy was sentenced Thursday to 22 years in prison and ordered to serve five years of supervised release, according to an announcement from Russ Ferguson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Authorities say Barreiro illegally possessed 15 firearms along with more than 1,600 fentanyl pills and more than 800 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine.
According to court documents, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Barreiro’s vehicle on Dec. 4th, 2023.
Authorities say Barreiro fled instead of stopping, leading to a vehicle pursuit.
Court documents show that during the chase, Barreiro threw a Glock 9mm pistol out of the passenger-side window.
Authorities say he later threw a bag out of the same window containing more than 300 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl tablets, fentanyl powder and cocaine.
Law enforcement later recovered the firearm and the drugs, according to court records.
After throwing the gun and drugs from the vehicle, authorities say Barreiro pulled over and was arrested.
Investigators say they found additional clear baggies with suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in the vehicle and on Barreiro.
Authorities also say Barreiro had $7,840 in cash, marijuana, a loaded Glock 30-round capacity magazine and a bag containing multiple loose rounds of 9mm ammunition in the vehicle.
Later the same day, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a Murphy home where Barreiro was known to reside.
Law enforcement seized 14 firearms, 1,450 fentanyl tablets, fentanyl powder, cocaine and almost 500 grams of methamphetamine, authorities say.
Barreiro had prior convictions that prohibited him from possessing firearms.
Barreiro pleaded guilty on Sept. 26th to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
He was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison on Thursday.
Barreiro remains in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
North Carolina
Families in Durham say they’re barely getting by; New report says Americans are saving less
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — With the price of gas, groceries and housing continuing to climb, many who live in Durham say there’s not much left over to put away at the end of the month.
Samuel Fisher was filling up his daughter’s car at a Durham gas station when he admitted he’s had to get creative to stretch his budget. “We haven’t saved. We’re not rich,” he said. “We were saving a few hundred dollars here and there.”
Fisher said he’s now driving his daughter’s smaller car while she’s on vacation because it’s cheaper to fill up than his SUV. “It costs me 90 dollars to fill up,” he said with a laugh. “She’s not here, so I’m going to drive her car. Save some money.”
For others, cutting back has become a daily routine. Anne McConville said everything she was wearing came from a thrift store. “Black jumpsuit, black top and this necklace that was only three dollars,” she said. “It’s beautiful.”
McConville said shopping secondhand helps her afford the basics. “Every time I go shopping, I spend 100 dollars. For me. I just buy produce.”
A new federal report shows Americans are saving less overall. The U.S. personal savings rate fell to 2.6 percent in April, a sign that rising costs for essentials are squeezing household budgets.
Arkell Barnes, a Triangle-based financial advisor for the past 30 years, said even small amounts of savings matter. “I always recommend people put something away no matter what. Pay yourself first,” he said.
Barnes said finding small ways to cut costs can help families build a cushion. “Refinancing, taking meals to work instead of going out, watching your subscriptions,” he said.
It’s advice 79-year-old Jerry McClain is already following. Pushing a cart of groceries to his car, he said he’s scaled back his spending. “I’m older, so I don’t do as much,” McClain said. “I don’t go out as much. I don’t eat out as much.”
Barnes said more people are also picking up side jobs to bring in extra income. It’s something he believes could help boost savings in the long run.
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