The police are angry at the prosecutors’ decision, who to be fair have a hard case in front of them, but clearly Royce Mitchell should be standing trial for statutory rape, kidnapping and murder but the prosecutors are bowing to pressure put on them by the community. As an aside, read through the comments on any story about this case, then tell the commenters I said thanks for making us look good. They’ll know what it means.

from the Charlotte Observer:

Royce Mitchell was pressuring 15-year-old Tiffany Wright to end her late-term pregnancy – even taking her to an abortion clinic – according to new court documents that may shed light on why police say Mitchell should be prosecuted for statutory rape.

The documents, released Tuesday, say Mitchell took Tiffany – his adopted sister – to a Charlotte abortion clinic in July, but she was turned away because she was too far along at 21 weeks. So Mitchell planned a trip to an Atlanta clinic within days where Tiffany’s pregnancy could be terminated.

Tiffany was eight-months pregnant when she was gunned down on Sept. 14 as she waited for her school bus. Doctors delivered her baby girl, but the infant later died.

Police call Mitchell, 36, a “person of interest” in the homicide, but they haven’t charged him. Mitchell was jailed on charges of statutory rape and taking indecent liberties with a minor.

But those charges were dropped last week by prosecutors, after a DNA test showed Mitchell was not the father of the baby. Without Tiffany alive to testify about any sexual encounters, prosecutors said the case lacked enough evidence to prosecute.

The move angered police, who released a statement critical of the decision. The statement said police believe there is “probable cause” based on “evidence gathered” to prosecute Mitchell on the sex charges – even without DNA evidence to prove that they had sex at least once.

The new information today comes from two affidavits asking a judge for search warrants of Mitchell’s home and an apartment.

The affidavits say Tiffany’s foster parents reported that Mitchell picked Tiffany up on July 20 about 10:30 p.m. “to take her to visit a dying relative.” Tiffany later reported she was really being held against her will by Mitchell and an unknown female “as they attempted to convince Tiffany to engage in an abortion by non-medical personnel,” the affidavits say.

A tough sell in Charlotte given the support we Black folk like to throw around for any “brother” who deserves to be in jail, but that doesn’t mean prosecutors shouldn’t make the effort in honor of the victim. But the prosecution can’t be faulted for thinking that, given public support for this child raping animal, hitting him for parole violations while seeing if they can work up something else is the best strategy for a win.

It is disgusting that they maybe right, and high time Black folk start taking back their community from the dealers and pimps who have become elevated to hero status in the inner cities.