CHARLOTTE — An accused murderer from Maryland is back behind bars in Mecklenburg County after a paperwork issue led to his earlier release. The case comes amid growing frustration over repeat violent offenders being let out on bond, a problem many are looking to fix.
The Mecklenburg County jail website shows that Charles Boatwright was booked Saturday night after his release the Wednesday before. Jail officials said it had to do with missing fugitive paperwork.
This comes amid growing scrutiny over violent criminals getting out of jail on bond.
Channel 9’s crime reporter Hunter Sáenz has covered this issue for years.
People in the area have sent Sáenz several examples of repeat offenders let out again and again ever since the congressional hearing on violent crime was held on Sept. 9 in Charlotte.
Several law enforcement sources said they are frustrated as they try to keep the community safe.
Vance Lewis is a convicted felon who has served time in prison.
He was arrested earlier this month after a year-long investigation at a home off Mallard Green Place in north Charlotte.
Authorities said they found nearly 10 pounds of fentanyl, along with meth, cocaine and five guns, and another eight guns at another residence.
Lewis faces a litany of charges, and a magistrate gave him a $500,000 bond, which would have given him the opportunity to be released from jail if he had the money.
However, prosecutors brought the case before a judge 24 hours later, who changed his bond to no bond so the ex-con could not get out of jail.
“That falls on the lap of the judges and magistrates in that county,” said Michael Woody, who owns 828 Bail Bonds.
Woody testified at the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight meeting last month. He said North Carolina’s bond system is broken but on the mend.
“I think the North Carolina bond system needs to have a bail schedule that the magistrates and judges have to follow. Certain crimes fall under certain criteria,” Woody said.
Someone tipped Sáenz about the case of Ervin Goode, who also has a long rap sheet.
In July, the convicted felon was arrested for first-degree kidnapping, assault by strangulation, and other charges.
He “put both hands around (the mother of his child’s) her neck and strangled her” ... threatening to “shoot up the house” … “if she tried calling 911,” according to a police report. “She barricaded herself in the bedroom” and called 911.
Goode was given a $750,000 unsecured bond, which means he got out of jail without paying a penny.
Earlier this month, he was arrested again for trafficking drugs and having a gun while being a felon. He was released on a $10,000 bond in less than 24 hours.
“I don’t think you can put a price on a human life,” Goody said. “And I think that’s the No. 1 safety factor with people getting released over and over -- unsecured.”
Goode is out of jail and walking the streets.
Sáenz is figuring out if Goode broke his previous bond conditions when he was arrested again earlier this month.
If so, the next question is, “Why was he allowed to bond out?”
Goody believes Iryna’s Law will help address the bond issue.
It eliminates cashless bail for certain violent crimes and many repeat offenders.
The law also requires judicial officials to review a defendant’s criminal history before setting conditions of release and seeks to ensure more defendants undergo mental health evaluations.
The law is named after Iryna Zarutska, a young Ukrainian refugee who was killed in August on the light rail in South End.
>>CLICK HERE for complete coverage of the light rail stabbing
Before the stabbing, the suspect, Decarlos Brown was released from jail for a misdemeanor charge on a written promise to appear without a bond.
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