Sex & the Courthouse – Again????

Posted on December 2, 2023 by Deborah Keller

SBI misconduct points to yet another sex scandal in District Attorney Ted Bell’s office. One can hardly forget the actions of

former judge Randy Pool, the allegations of Bell’s ongoing relationship with a deputy clerk of court, and a rumored new entanglement with one of his employees. Yet sexual scandals in the courthouse aren’t limited to just those, anymore it seems.

In recent court filings obtained at the McDowell Courthouse, SBI Agent Randy Wood – a long-time married man, is accused of engaging in similar unlawful actions against several women as well as engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a prosecuting attorney in District Attorney Ted Bell’s office.

SBI Agent Randy Wood (contributed photo)

On June 1, 2023, the first Wood case, thefemale victim (who will not be named due to the conduct at issue) submitted a Complaint and Motion for Domestic Violence Protective Order making the following claims:

“[Agent] Randy Wood text me asking if I was good. I called him to discuss a stalker situation that I had for months. He chuckled and asked if I was surprised. I said uh yes and I’m beginning to not feel safe because they are coming right up to the house! He explained that he had handled it and that he was always watching from afar. I asked him what that meant. He laughed and said I will always keep you safe and I’m always watching you. How are you always watching I asked?? He then said he had his resources. Curious I had to have more info. He said he had to go and would call me tomorrow. I asked him to come over and tell me more about this watching from afar.”

Agent Wood’s behavior allegedly became more troubling from there.

The court granted the victim’s request for a no-contact order against Agent Wood that continues in effect as of the date of this writing.

In a June 5, 2023 Complaint and Motion for Domestic Violence Protective Order, a second female victim (who will also not be named due to the conduct at issue) requested a protective order against Agent Wood based on the following allegations:

“On Saturday June 3 Randy wanted to take [unidentified individuals] out on the boat. Due to a change in his behavior, I said no and things escalated. Randy has been doing drugs, alcohol, stopped taking his meds for his mental issues and because of that me and [unidentified individuals] are afraid of what he’s capable. Randy is currently under investigation with the SBI which he blames me for and will text [unidentified individuals] calling me ‘a dirty mothe*****er’ trying to get them on his side. Randy has placed me in fear of harm due to his unpredictable state. He has a history of aggression, narcissistic behavior, and mental instability.”

The court granted the second victim a no-contact order against Agent Wood as well, and, on June 9, 2023, issued a second order keeping the no-contact order in place based on finding “threats of continued harassment” by Agent Wood. That order is also in effect as of this writing.

In its second order, the Court also noted that this matter is tracking [the two other domestic violence cases] and that “Defendant was served. Defendant is in rehab in Florida.”

DA Ted Bell swearing in Asst DA Cydney Joyner (contributed photo)

Most concerning, however, is that multiple individuals working at the courthouse (speaking on condition of anonymity) have alleged that Assistant District Attorney Cydney Joyner entered into a sexual relationship with Agent Wood prior to these incidents and, after the two victims above filed their complaints, drove Agent Wood to the rehab facility in Florida. And when a file concerning Wood went missing in the clerk’s office it was found in ADA Joyner’s possession.

Those same sources uniformly represented that D.A. Bell has been aware of this situation (as well as other improprieties that these individuals have not yet authorized Foothills Catalyst to disclose) for quite some time.

Despite the conflicts of interest, potential interference with legal proceedings, and appearance of impropriety created by an undisclosed sexual relationship between a prosecutor and law enforcement officer, D.A. Bell has not suspended Attorney Joyner or placed her on leave pending an investigation into these issues.

In fact, because of his refusal to comment on this matter, there is no indication that DA Bell has launched and/or requested any investigation (much less an independent investigation) or taken steps to preserve evidence regarding Attorney Joyner’s alleged actions.

Unfortunately, with history as a guide, D.A. Bell’s extraordinary efforts to shield former-Chief District Court Judge Randy Pool from similar misconduct provides little reason to believe that he will address this matter with any greater level of candor, transparency, or fidelity to ethical mandates that should govern his handling of this situation.

Regardless of whether District Attorney Bell does so, however, we will continue reporting on this matter as it develops.

Jury convicts two suspects in plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Posted on August 23, 2022 by NC Policy Watch

By Jon King

NC Policy Watch

August 23, 2022

In Courts & the Law, News

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Photo: Michigan Advance

Two men whose first trial on charges of planning to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 ended in a mistrial, have been convicted by a second jury.

Adam Fox, 39, and Barry Croft Jr., 46, were found guilty in federal court in Grand Rapids Tuesday morning on conspiracy charges connected to a plot to kidnap Whitmer from her vacation home in northern Michigan in retaliation for her COVID-19 restrictions early on in the pandemic.

Prosecutors also contended that the plotters, two of whom were found not guilty in the first trial, sought to create chaos in the days leading up to the 2020 general election.

Fox and Croft were also found guilty of conspiring to obtain a weapon of mass destruction, related to their attempt to purchase explosives that could be used to blow up a bridge near Whitmer’s vacation home in order to slow police responding to the kidnapping.

Evidence presented during both trials indicated Fox twice traveled to northern Michigan to scout out the area around Whitmer’s second home with Croft and an undercover agent coming along on one of the trips.

Croft, a trucker from Delaware, was also convicted on an additional explosives charge.

Assisting the prosecution was testimony from two other defendants, Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks, who earlier pleaded guilty as part of a deal. Garbin was sentenced to six years in prison in August 2021. Franks has yet to be sentenced.

The investigation began when a U.S Army veteran, Dan Chappel, agreed to become an informant after joining the group, who called themselves the Wolverine Watchmen. He said he did so to maintain his firearm skills, but agreed to assist the FBI l after discussion among the group turned to making plans for attacking police.

The FBI then placed a pair of informants and another pair of undercover agents in the group, finally deciding to arrest the plotters in October 2020 after authorities say they discussed raising $4,000 to purchase the explosive to blow up the bridge near Whitmer’s vacation home.

Defense attorneys tried to portray the investigation as one designed to entrap their clients, whom they described as “big talkers” that liked to smoke marijuana and then indulge in heated rhetoric about Whitmer and the government.

Croft’s attorney, Joshua Blanchard, told jurors that just because one may not agree with his client’s ideology, that didn’t mean they should be automatically suspected of potentially committing a crime.

“This isn’t Russia. This isn’t how our country works,” he said.

Fox’s attorney, Christopher Gibbons, described his client as poor and living in the basement of a Grand Rapids-area vacuum shop, telling jurors that the FBI isn’t supposed to create “domestic terrorists.”

The guilty verdicts were welcomed by Whitmer.

“I want to thank the prosecutors and law enforcement officers for their hard work and my family, friends, and staff for their support,” said Whitmer. “Today’s verdicts prove that violence and threats have no place in our politics and those who seek to divide us will be held accountable. They will not succeed. But we must also take a hard look at the status of our politics.

“Plots against public officials and threats to the FBI are a disturbing extension of radicalized domestic terrorism that festers in our nation, threatening the very foundation of our republic. I ran for office because I love my fellow Michiganders and my home state with all my heart. I always will. I cannot — I will not — let extremists get in the way of the work we do. They will never break my unwavering faith in the goodness and decency of our people.”

Jon King is a reporter for the Michigan Advance, which first published this report.

Landmark Remote Online Notarization Bill Approved to Make RON the Law of the Land in North Carolina

Posted on July 24, 2022 by Staff Reports

RALEIGH – Governor Cooper has signed a bill that allows notaries to use internet technologies to identify people and notarize their signatures remotely. This significant legislation means homebuyers will soon be able to close loans and buy houses from the comfort of their couch, marking a major advance in Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall’s twenty-five year effort to lead the digital transformation of North Carolina’s business environment.

Because of the extensive work required to implement permanent Remote Online Notarization (RON), the portion of House Bill 776 addressing RON becomes effective July 1, 2023. Emergency video notarizations will resume, effective immediately, as a stop-gap measure to allow video notarizations while permanent RON procedures are being put in place.

“Everyone in North Carolina needs to be able to sign contracts safely and conveniently, without sacrificing the certainty of knowing that people signing important documents like wills and loans are exactly who they say they are. Emergency Video Notarizations were crucial tools during the height of the COVID pandemic. The next step, establishing a permanent RON solution that matches intuitive technology with transactional security, is central to maintaining a vibrant and sustainable e-commerce culture across the state that’s accessible for everyone,” said Secretary Marshall.

The new Remote Online Notary fee will be $25 per principal signature when RON becomes effective in July of 2023. The new law also immediately updates other fees that notaries public across the state can charge. The maximum fee that can be charged per principal signature has increased from $5 to $10 for acknowledgments, jurats, and verifications or proofs. For oaths or affirmations without a signature, the
maximum fee has increased from $5 to $10 per person, except for the identity of a principal or subscribing witness. The fee for electronic notarizations under G.S. 10B-188 will be $15.

For any notarial act performed under the State Notary Public Act, actual mileage at the federal mileage rate (62.5 cents per mile) can be charged if the travel reimbursement is agreed to by the principal in writing prior to travel.
The Secretary of State’s Office will next begin the administrative rulemaking process to create the requirements and procedures needed to implement the permanent RON law.

Court Report

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Staff Reports

Ted Bell ….Accountability Will Come

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Deborah Keller

May 18,2022

The Republican primary is over and Ted Bell has won yet again. There was a total of 12,433 votes cast for District Attorney in the District 29A Republican primary out 57,776 eligible voters. Ted Bell received 7562 votes making him elected by only 13% of the eligible voting population in the district. He has no opponent from any other party so the office is his yet again. SSDD as the younger generation says.

That being said does not mean that the “cloak and dagger” mentality that has existed in the DA’s office under Ted Bell can continue. It was hoped that electing someone new would “clean up” the office but since that is not going to happen then other avenues must be pursued. Can Ted Bell change? It’s possible but unlikely at this point in his career.

Removing an elected (even if only by 13% of voters) District Attorney is difficult, but not impossible. A District Attorney who has admittedly falsified video evidence in a death investigation (considered prosecutorial misconduct), discussed confidential information with others outside his office, and seemingly protected his friend, former Judge Randy Pool, who committed criminal acts (with 33 known victims at this time) so he could retire with his full benefit package to just name a few of his “behaviors,” does not need to be in office.

Last year in Henderson County District Attorney Greg Newman, representing Henderson, Transylvania and Polk counties was removed from office on April 27 by Judge Robert Irwin. On Feb. 11, 2021, an affidavit was filed with the Clerk of Superior Court in Henderson County asking for D.A. Greg Newman’s removal on various grounds pursuant to NC Gen. Stat.7A-66.

At the center of Newman’s removal hearing was a sexual assault case in which the victim’s family claims Newman denied them the right to be heard in court. More than a dozen families from his district came together to file a motion to have Newman removed from office due to an alleged pattern of willful misconduct. Last year Newman was disciplined by the state bar for making a false statement in a child rape case. He was suspended but still allowed to practice

North Carolina state statute 7A-66, allows any person to request Superior Court to hold a proceeding to suspend or remove a district attorney from office if certain criteria are met.

Under the state statute, the following are grounds for suspension of a district attorney for his or her removal from office:

Mental or physical incapacity interfering with the performance of his duties, which is, or is likely to become, permanent;
Willful misconduct in office;Willful and persistent failure to perform his duties;
Habitual intemperance;
Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude;
Conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, which brings the office into disrepute; or
Knowingly authorizing or permitting an assistant district attorney to commit any act constituting grounds for removal.

If a D.A. is guilty of even ONE of the seven points listed above then ANYONE can request a Superior Court hearing to have them either removed or suspended from office.

According to the state statute, at the hearing the Superior Court judge will hear evidence and make findings of fact and conclusions of law, and if he/she finds that grounds for removal exist, he/she will enter an order permanently removing the district attorney from office, and terminate his or her salary.

The procedure for removal, as set out in GS 7A-66, includes these steps (from UNC School of Government):

The process begins with the filing of a sworn affidavit charging the district attorney with specific grounds for removal. The affidavit may be filed by any person. It is filed with the clerk of court of the county where the DA lives.

The clerk is to bring the affidavit to the attention of the senior resident superior court judge immediately.

The senior resident judge is to review and act upon the charges within 30 days or refer the matter within that time to another superior court judge who either lives in the district or is holding court there.

The judge reviewing the charges may, but is not required to, suspend the DA pending a hearing if the judge determines that the charges would indeed be grounds for removal if true and that there is probable cause to believe the charges are true. The DA’s salary continues during the suspension.

If the judge determines that the charges are not grounds for removal, or that there is no probable cause to believe they are true, the judge is to dismiss the proceeding.

The DA is to be given written notice of the hearing with a copy of the charges. The statute does not specify who is responsible for giving the notice. In the absence of other direction, the superior court judge who sets the hearing should direct that the notice be served.

The hearing is to be held not less than ten and not more than 30 days after the notice is served.

The hearing may be before the superior court judge who reviewed the charges or any other superior court judge who lives in or is holding court in the district.

The hearing is required to be public and must be recorded.

The judge is to make findings of fact and conclusions of law. The judge must order removal and terminate the DA’s salary upon finding that grounds for removal exist.

The DA may appeal a removal order to the Court of Appeals for error of law. The DA may not perform duties of the office while the appeal is pending. A DA who is reinstated upon appeal or remand is entitled to back pay to the time of removal.

In practice, district attorneys, who prosecute the bulk of criminal cases in the United States, answer to no one. The State Attorney General is the highest law enforcement officer in state government and often has the power to review complaints about unethical and illegal conduct on the part of district attorneys.

You can file a complaint with them at this link https://ncdoj.gov/contact-doj/ or call the numbers below:

Toll-free within North Carolina: 1-877-5-NO-SCAM
From outside North Carolina: (919) 716-6000
En Espanol: (919) 716-0058

A Bar complaint can also be filed by ANYONE against Ted Bell. You do not need a lawyer to file a grievance. All you have to do is tell the Bar what the lawyer did that you think was improper. Bar counsel will conduct the investigation and any legal research that may be necessary. You must identify yourself in the complaint.

To file a bar complaint contact them at this link. https://www.ncbar.gov/media/490329/grievance-form.pdf or send a detailed email to complaints@ncbar.gov

If you feel that you or your family have been wrongly treated or represented by D.A. Ted Bell or his office please contact me at debkellercares@gmail.com or editor@rccatalyst.com. Knowledge is power. Together we CAN make a difference and help bring integrity back to the D.A.’s office.

Ted Bell Enrages Family Of Murder Victim In Campaign Post

Posted on May 15, 2022 by Deborah Keller

May 15, 2022

On Friday the residents of both Rutherford and McDowell counties received not one but two political mailers from D.A. Ted Bell. As you may recall the first mailer sent out was shown to be false. He was not unanimously endorsed by law enforcement.

The second mailer showed three cases of child predators incarcerated for long periods but failed to discuss all the plea deals that have let multiple child predators continue to walk free and place children at risk.

The third and fourth mailers that have come out on the same day have equally erroneous messaging. Tough on crime (unless you’re a friend) is HIS opinion, not the general public, and “successfully” fighting the drug problem is an absolute joke. The entire district knows that all too well.

Now in his latest political facebook message he actually took credit for a case he was not involved in and failed to notify the family of the murdered victim that he was using their son’s case as a political advertisement. This is the message that was posted on his campaign Facebook page.

Facebook Page: Ted Bell for DA

Murderer Convicted-Sentenced to Life Without Parole

On Friday April 22, 2022, Walter Sidney Mitchell was found guilty of first degree murder in the July 20, 2018 shooting death of Matthew Pressley. This concluded a week-long trial in which Assistant District Attorney Kent W. Brown prosecuted the case on behalf of the State. Mitchell, who was previously convicted in 2003 of accessory after the fact to second degree murder and first degree kidnapping in an unrelated case, was sentenced to life without parole.

Pressley allowed Mitchell to live with him at his Walnut Grove Road residence in Nebo after Mitchell’s most recent time in prison. Soon after moving in, Mitchell began to treat the house as his own, telling Pressley what he could and could not do in his own home, and bringing in whomever he wanted. One such person was a girlfriend of Mitchell’s who on the morning of July 18 became angry when she discovered that Mitchell had just left with another girlfriend. She took Mitchell’s truck keys and threw them in the woods just outside the house to spite him.

On July 20th, the day after Mitchell’s birthday, Mitchell was dropped off by a friend of Pressley’s at another persons garage. Mitchell was trying to convince that person to buy his truck. He then realized he did not have the keys to his truck and did not know where they were. He became convinced Pressley had stolen them. Enraged, Mitchell got a woman to drive him back to Pressley’s house.

Pressley was out in the yard when Mitchell and the woman pulled in. The woman had a revolver in the cupholder of her car, and Mitchell took the gun when he got out of the car. Mitchell walked straight up to Pressley and struck him twice on the head, accusing him of stealing the keys. Pressley denied having anything to do with them. Mitchell then struck Pressley on the side of the head with the pistol.

Two men in the house heard the commotion in the yard through the open front door. Before they could move in that direction, Mitchell came into the house and walked up to them. Mitchell looked at one of them, waving the gun in his face, and said “I know you won’t be the one calling the law.” The man later said that looking at Mitchell was like looking “at a hull of a person, pure evil like nobody was there.” Mitchell immediately turned and walked back outside to where Pressley was still standing in his yard. The man followed Mitchell to the open door.

Mitchell struck Pressley again on the head. Pressley not able to take anymore took a swing at Mitchell and just grazed his nose. Mitchell then raised the gun from his side, leveled it at his head, and shot him in the face. Pressley fell to the ground and Mitchell walked to him. Standing over apressley, Mitchell said “looks like he’s dead.” Mitchell then turned and walked up to the woman’s car, jumped in and took off without her. The woman and the people in the house fled, leaving Pressley lying on the ground.

The bullet entered Presssley’s jaw just below his lower lip on the right side. It traveled along the jaw, through the neck, and pierced the lower part of the skull, damaging the lower sections of the brain before running up the inside back wall of the skull to come to rest at the back of the head. The areas of the brain that were damaged would have resulted in Presley losing his balance and coordination and his eyesight, perhaps to the point of blindness. The investigation revealed, based on the trail of blood, that after the shooting Pressley got to his feet, made his way into the house, felt his way around the living room to the couch, where he sat down, covered up with a blanket, and died.

Mitchell drove to a friend’s residence where he told the friend “I just killed Matt. I shot him in the face.” Mitchell asked for money and then drove away in the woman’s car. Two days later the car was found abandoned on Roper Hollow Road in Burke County 10 miles up that road where it became a single dirt track running through remote woods.

It took the jury five hours of deliberation over two days to find the defendant guilty of premeditated and deliberate first degree murder. We thank the members of the jury for their service, the careful attention the gave too the evidence and the instructions on the law, and the verdict they rendered that gave justice for Matthew Pressley and his family. We thank the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office for their tireless dedication to law enforcement and the thorough they do, especially to Detective Billie Brown and Lieutenant Detective Chris Taylor for their work on this case. Our special thanks go to all the witnesses who ultimately came forward and reported what had happened and then testified to the jury. Finally we extend our heartfelt appreciation to Daniel Pressley, brother to Matthew, and to his family for the dedication they have shown to Matthew throughout the tendency of the case and throughout the trial. When Mitchell’s first lawyer had to be replaced, a second lawyer had to be given time to prepare, and then the courts were closed due to COVID, the Pressley family stayed true to their determination to see justice for Matthew.

Ted Bell

District Attorney

The sister of Matthew Pressley, Tabitha Holsonback, needless to say was horrified that he would use the heartbreaking graphic details of her brother’s case to advance his political agenda especially since he was not involved in any aspect of the trial. Never even meeting with the family. Her reply was as follows:

(stock photo)

“I know good and well that you are NOT trying to take any credit for this case Mr. Bell. You left our family suffering in heart wrenching pain for 3 years and 9 months before moving this case forward to trial. When Mr. Brown did his job (and an incredible job if I might add) WHERE WERE YOU? You were NOT in that courtroom, you offered NO SUPPORT to the victims, family, or friends. You were not there when the verdict was reached or the sentence was read. You now want to use Matthew’s death and Walt’s conviction for a campaign ad? Are you kidding me? Were you there when the crime scene photos were put up on the screen and some of us had to get up and leave the courtroom sobbing so uncontrollably and vomiting that we couldn’t sit there? Were you there to offer a kind word or any comfort or support? NO SIR, YOU WERE NOT! You know who was there? Kent Brown, his assistant and a few others behind the scenes to make sure our family was ok. It is quite disgusting you are trying to take this a political stunt, gain some ground for your campaign, and act like you care about the fact we suffered for 3 years and 9 months.

SHAME ON YOU MR. BELL…..I PRAY I SEE KRINN EVANS TAKE YOUR JOB! I KNOW WHO WE ARE VOTING FOR. THIS ALONE HAS SEALED ANY DOUBTS I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD.”

Ted Bell then immediately deleted her reply off his campaign page. He reached out to her on private messenger with the conversation going as follows:

She saved screenshots of the original post along with the messages and replies and posted them to her page after posting the following:

“I am LIVID this morning!!!! So, Ted Bell, this is what we are doing now??? You are using Matthew’s death as a Campaign ad? SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU MR BELL! I Love the fact that he posted a picture of the murderer but not the victim… AND ACTS LIKE HE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS!!! LET ME ASSURE YOU ALL HE DID NOT, IT WAS MR. KENT BROWN, MS ANGIE ( KENTS ASSISTANT) , DETECTIVE BILLIE Brown, and many others with the McDowell County Sheriff’s dep., An incredible forensic analyst, a jury of 12 who sat and watched the entire trial and took notes and asked for evidence and made an informed decision. BUT NOT ONE TIME DID WE SEE TED BELL DURING THIS WEEK OF TRIAL, NOT ONE WORD FROM HIM OFFERING SUPPORT TO ANY OF US, AND NOW HE WANTS TO USE MATTHEW’S DEATH/ WALT’S CONVICTION AS A CAMPAIGN AD!!!!! COME ON MCDOWELL COUNTY,YOU DESERVE BETTER Krinn Evans for District Attorney.”

ADA Kent Brown

After admitting that ADA Kent Brown wrote the actual post on his campaign page, not himself as implied by his signature on the post, Mr. Bell took down the post from his campaign site. She in the meantime has made screenshots of all the posts and replies as she said she was afraid he would deny making them.

Ms. Holsonback has every reason to feel she needed to have proof of what he did as he would possibly deny it. This has been the way he has done things for the past seven years. It is incomprehensible that he would:

Take credit for a trial he was not part of
Use that trial as a political tool for his campaign without considering the family of the victim or at least informing them.
Specifically put his name on a post that he did not write
Delete the reply of the victim’s mother on said post because it was unflattering to him
Then actually put in writing that he did not write said post.

Is this really what you want in your District Attorney? A man who cares so little for the family of a murder victim that he would put them through this for his own personal gain? Not to mention all the other things he has/has not done while in office like these to name a few:

Protection of a judge who committed criminal acts and lied to law enforcement officers about it.
Total lack of transparency concerning anything in the Sheriff’s Office or the jail.
Personal vendetta court cases taking priority over long waiting cases.
Difficult cases (WOFF) being continued 6+ years until no witnesses remember anything about it.
Discussing current murder investigations and sharing depositions with social media people who live out of state.
Not utilizing court time to decrease the backlog of cases.
Asked for a political favor from a police chief to remove a political banner (negative to Ted Bell) off private property.
Misrepresenting official police endorsements to affect an election.

This Tuesday will be the final day to vote in the Republican primary. The reason this is important is this election will decide who holds the office for the next four years. The holder of this office affects every single one of us. This position is the cornerstone of our legal system. The District Attorney decides who does and does not get charged for crimes. We must have someone with integrity and concern for the people in this office. We must demand it and we deserve it. All these example continually show that Ted Bell is NOT the man for this job. It is time to “clean” the courthouse and reintroduce not only respect, but honesty, transparency, and dignity.

We can make our voices heard. We can hold the holders of this office accountable. Go to the polls if you haven’t already and vote for change on Tuesday.

We Deserve it!

Recovery Sentences – Therapy, Work Camp or Sex Trafficking?

Posted on May 15, 2022 by Gayle Clayton, BS, MA

While sentencing a meth addict to a recovery facility instead of prison seems like a good choice to benefit both society and the addict, sometimes it is not. Having worked at a recovery center to collect data on outcomes, a preliminary conclusion is that the best outcomes come to those who choose to go to or embrace rehab.

Last year in an interview with a now sober young couple, the woman’s account of her experience of a court appointed facility, Recovery Ventures, sounded more like being in a work camp with long hours, isolated strict environment, and no pay. Even though the facility purported to have a phased program of progression , according to both there was little recovery there.

This couple was facing felony charges and possible time in prison. Each was wanted on “multiple counts of possession of stolen goods, 12 counts of larceny, three counts of larceny of a chose in action, two counts of financial card theft, one count of possession of methamphetamine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia” according to the sheriff’s press release. (Those cases have since been resolved.)

As the story was unveiled, there seemed to be some questionable activity in regards to sentences in rehab centers.

The thin attractive woman, represented by a defense attorney, was offered a plea bargain by District Attorney Ted Bell, and she accepted those terms when facing Judge Randy Pool. In effect, the agreement allowed the substitution of one year in a specific recovery center as a substitute for two years of active prison time.

Several questions come to mind:

Why were “clients” forced to sign a waiver of their payment for full-time work in exchange for their treatment program? “Clients” were hired out as wait staff, cooks, and catering staff for nearby resorts and restaurants. Their outside work was contracted to the rehab facility as substantial payment for their residential program of recovery.
This couple told of a toxic rehab facility environment where severe punishment could be dealt for not turning in roommates or other clients in for infractions of rules such as talking to outsiders while at work, having a relationship with another client or staff member, or having possession of a phone. the peer-based modality of treatment, in which the community is the agent of change, we also offer comprehensive clinical services to help individuals meet their goals of long-term sobriety.
Structure is the foundation of leading a healthy life in recovery. According to this couple and the rehab’s advertisements, this facility works on a phase system that provides additional responsibilities and privileges to associates as they advance through the program. However the couple also spoke of an alleged collusion between the rehab director and the sentencing judge to find cause to extend their sentences-especially if the client was a good worker or team leader.
This rehab company was the subject of many reviews, interviewees, and a WFAE investigative article .
RVC was reportedly described as “as his own personal cathouse” by a local drug ring leader. An attendee was told by many about Judge Pool’s personal visits to the facility.

However, Judge Pool and Suzy Bennett, then Director of RVC Women’s Recovery, discussed changing the plea agreement and attempted to force our interviewee to stay for an additional five (5) years. Ms. R was a hard worker and peer leader who rebelled from time to time by breaking the rules. Yet she turned down the facility’s offer to become a staff member.

Judge Pool’s discussing a plea outside of court is a violation of the Judicial Canons of Ethics, a complete subversion of R’s right to due process, as well as very likely a criminal offense.

RVC refused to provide R’s defense attorney his client’s records which were needed to prepare for the next hearing.

Recent investigations have exposed exploitative sexual behaviors targeting vulnerable women throughout Rutherford and McDowell Counties. Many other government officials it seems, attorneys, bondsmen, and police officers were involved in both the drug trafficking/money laundering activities and, to varying degrees, sexual exploitation of women in the legal system who were drug users on the streets.

Now disbarred attorney Marvin Sparrow and former judge Pool were also allegedly assisting one another to force women to engage in sexual activities with both men, and appearing to exploit their roles in the legal system to accomplish those ends, along with a number of other troubling activities.

District attorney, Ted Bell, only charged Sparrow with a minor offense appearing to immunize Sparrow from further charges if any other state agency were to try and charge him. At the time, the district attorney’s decision struck those in the legal community here as strange, but it wasn’t until the same district attorney charged one of the first victims that exposed Judge Pool’s conduct that many of the other issues began to surface.

Judge Pool, it seems, attempted to conceal and destroy evidence, lied to investigators, and, though this part is still a bit uncertain, utilized someone (presumably from law enforcement) to erase every communication Judge Pool had ever sent or posted on Facebook when Judge Pool took down his Facebook social media account. This destroyed all messages to every one of his victims, as well as destroyed communications he was having with one of the most well-known and well-protected drug traffickers in this part of the state.

Significantly, there was another victim trying to come forward in 2017. As he attempted to do in this case, Judge Pool allegedly utilized his connections with the then-McDowell County Sheriff Dudley Greene to immediately attempt to intercept this woman, threaten her, and successfully silence her.

However there may be help for those who attended work rehabs.

FROM REVEAL.ORG . . .

There’s a lawsuit about this type of rehab that similarly hires out its associates without any pay to the workers. They work long hours and receive questionable treatment in return. RVC states that it is a self-sustaining facility .This time the lawsuit is against another rehab nearby called Recovery Connections Community. One of its founders is Jennifer Warren, the former therapeutic director at Recovery Ventures. The suit complains of therapeutic practices similar to the 2007 case (reference), and patients are seeking back wages for the time they worked without pay. The practices at Recovery Connections Community were the subject of earlier reporting by the program Reveal by the Center for Investigative Reporting.

Clermont Ripley with the North Carolina Justice Center is one of the attorneys representing the former patients. One goal of the suit she said is to clear up the discrepancy between state rules which say patients can’t get money for their work and federal labor laws that establish minimum wage standards.

“Hopefully, we will get a judge to clear it up and make it really clear that when somebody works they are supposed to get paid for their work. And then it is their decision what to do with that money they are receiving,” she said.

Ripley hopes in addition to getting her clients their back pay, a ruling will impact other therapeutic communities operating the same way.

This egregious case is among the many contained in a ring of corruption within Rutherford and McDowell Counties.

Ted Bell And Snakes In The Grass

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Deborah Keller

May 13, 2022

When I was quite young I remember my great-grandmother and her neighbor referring to a man they knew as a snake in the grass. I actually was deathly afraid of snakes so I asked her if there were snakes in our grass. That’s when she explained to me what the phase meant.

She said “A snake in the grass is someone who appears harmless or even friendly but in fact is treacherous. They leave you alone as long as you stay on the right side of them but step even a little on the wrong side and they strike.”

The Latin proverb cum totum fecisse putas, latet anguis in herba, means “Though everything looks clean, a snake lurks in the grass.” That’s the issue, everything may look clean, but is it?

Rutherford County has had its share of “snakes.” Here lately they seem to be coming out of hiding more and more. A “snake in the grass” is often considered a deceitful person. Unfortunately we are finding out who these people are by their actions. People in authority who feel that “laws” do not apply to them, or their friends.

Former Judge Randy Pool is the most notable of these “snakes”, but what of all the “snakes” that surrounded and protected him? His fellow judges knew about his behaviors, D.A. Ted Bell knew about his behaviors, Law Enforcement officials knew about his behaviors, yet they did nothing to stop him.

Law Enforcement Officers who do “favors” for those in authority are “deceitful” to the public they serve. Also when they go on social media and try to skew the facts of what actually happened in the performance of a “favor” they are showing their true nature. There are Hatch Act laws for a reason.

The snake in the Garden of Eden lied and seduced Eve into biting the apple. He told her what she wanted to hear in order to get her to do what he wanted her to do. Much like a lot of our politicians in office today. They tell the public what they think they want to hear. They spin the truth to the point of where it seems even they don’t recognize it anymore.

D.A. Ted Bell boasts about the three long prison sentences he got for child predators in his mailer yet he doesn’t tell you about the multiple plea deals he has made with predators that stay out of jail and are free to victimize others. We all know a pedophile does not change. That is NOT protecting our children.

Ted Bell ran on reducing jail time and getting cases heard sooner. He has the longest jail times for offenders yet and has cases still pending after 6+ years.

Ted Bell is running on an integrity platform yet he allowed friend and former Judge Randy Pool to not be prosecuted and retire with full benefits even after admitting his crimes.

Ted Bell is promoted by DraintheSwampConservatives PAC (most members of the former Tea Party) Quite a few of these people have spent years deceiving others. It’s fascinating how they want to “drain the swamp”,yet promote the very people that live in it.

Ted Bell has spent almost sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) as of today on this political campaign alone. I realize that that may not be a lot of money to him but it is more than a yearly salary for most of us. Why, if he is doing his job so well would he need to spend that kind of money to run for office again?

It is time to identify these “snakes” and remove them from our “grass.” These elected officials and Law Enforcement officers work on the taxpayer’s dime. They should work FOR the people, not for themselves or their “friends.”

We deserve better that what we have had for the past seven years in the District Attorney’s office.

Protection of a judge who committed criminal acts and lied to law enforcement officers about it.
Total lack of transparency concerning anything in the Sheriff’s Office or the jail.
Personal vendetta court cases taking priority over long waiting cases.
Difficult cases (WOFF) being continued 6+ years until no witnesses remember anything about it.
Discussing current murder investigations and sharing depositions with social media people who live out of state.
Not utilizing court time to decrease the backlog of cases.
Asked for a political favor from a police chief to remove a political banner (negative to Ted Bell) off private property.
Misrepresenting official police endorsements to affect an election.

We deserve integrity, transparency, and most of all, honesty. I am sure some people had good intentions at some point but we all know what road is paved with those.

Look around, open your eyes and be aware that what you are being told by these people is not what is truly happening. Don’t let the “grass” grow so high that you can’t see the “snakes”.

We have an opportunity to make a difference, to make a change. We can “cut” the grass ourselves. We can take back our counties and demand accountability from our officials. It has been a long time coming here. We the people deserve better than what we have had. (see above) Vote for change. It starts with you.

Go vote. We are worth it!

Early voting is going on through May 14^th with the final primary vote being May 17^th. All unaffiliated persons can vote in the Republican primary. It will decide the race for District Attorney.

D.A.Ted Bell ….Violating The Hatch Act?

Posted on May 2, 2022 by Deborah Keller

May 2, 2022

How many questionable decisions has District Attorney Ted Bell made in his tenure here? It obviously is an answer that will take years to fully discover. The latest is his decision to use public political endorsements of law enforcement officials in radio ads on WCAB, social media, newspapers, and mailers.

Mr. Bell as an attorney and current District Attorney is certainly aware of the Hatch Act. It clearly states that “The Hatch Act, a federal law passed in 1939, limits certain political activities of federal employees, as well as some state, D.C., and local government employees who work in connection with federally funded programs. The law’s purposes are to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace, and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation.”

“The Hatch Act restricts the political activity of individuals principally employed by state, District of Columbia, or local executive agencies and who work in connection with programs financed in whole or in part by federal loans or grants. Usually, employment with a state, D.C., or local agency constitutes the principal employment of the employee in question. However, when an employee holds two or more jobs, principal employment is generally deemed to be that job which accounts for the most work time and the most earned income.” (See link here)

Mr. Bell seems to have forgotten that the stated endorsers he has listed all have federal funding sources and therefore are subject to the Hatch Act. (see above) After an extensive search online I was unable to find any stated confirmation of these endorsements. I reached out via email last Thursday April 28th to all the individuals mentioned to receive direct confirmation of their endorsement explaining to them that I was writing an article about it.

No one mentioned above by Mr. Bell has replied to my original email. I then emailed Mr. Bell directly asking if he had written endorsements from these officials. He too did not answer my email but did post within a few hours of my sending it regarding his endorsements on his Ted Bell for DA Facebook page.

“April 29 at 7:00 PM ·

I never want to be misinterpreted or to mislead anyone, so based on a couple of questions I received I want to clarify. As I have always said, I have been unanimously endorsed by the heads of all of our local law enforcement agencies – the Chiefs and Sheriffs. This endorsement is in their personal capacity – obviously, a Town or Police Department cannot endorse someone, and I don’t want someone to misunderstand and think that I am stating that I am endorsed by a Town or Police Department as opposed to an individual.

Thank you for your support,

Ted”

I then emailed all the supposed endorsers of Mr. Bell and asked for a direct confirmation or denial of the endorsement along with their department’s policy on endorsing partisan politicians. I also asked if their departments directly or indirectly receive federal funding. I did copy Mr. Bell on this email. As of right now I have not heard back from any of them regarding this except Marion PD Chief Allen Lawerence who asked for my article deadline date.

It is very concerning that only one of the “public servants” emailed answered me. These people have sworn to protect and serve the public in their individual communities. How can the general public feel protected if they fear retaliation for not supporting the political candidate that the department Chief or Sheriff has endorsed. This is the entire purpose behind the Hatch Act, to decrease political coercion of any kind.

If you as a citizen are concerned about this you can file a complaint about these officials with U.S. Office of Special Counsel Click on this link “File a Complaint”or click on the green button on the right hand side under the banner on the home page. They will investigate this and have a hearing. This is a link to complaints they have heard (click here)

If you are concerned about Ted Bell’s actions you can also file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office in Raleigh. (see link) If you go to file a complaint be sure to check “received in the mail” if you received an endorsement flyer. Also you can attach the flyer you received or a screen shot of social media. If you need to call Toll-free within North Carolina: 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.

You can also complain to the NC State Bar. Anyone can file a complaint to the Bar Association about any practicing lawyer. For info click here To directly file a complaint you can click this link https://www.ncbar.gov/media/490329/grievance-form.pdf or call (919) 828-4620. Individuals who file grievances in good faith against a North Carolina lawyer are protected by statute from retaliation.

Ted Bell himself has shown by his Facebook post (as seen above) that he knows using official endorsements are out of line but it’s too late to retract it as the mailers and social media ads have all gone out to the public.

It’s one thing for Mr. Bell to personally erroneously represent his endorsements as official statements but to throw these men and their departments “under the bus” (so to speak) for his own political gain seems unconscionable even for him.

Is this the man you want to represent you as District Attorney? One who seemingly conveniently “forgets” major points of law or feels the law does not apply to him when it suits his purpose? One who has no issue with endangering other officials with his actions? This man who stands up publically and says he is the embodiment of “ethical behavior.”

When you consider the length of time it takes to have a case heard by him, the plea deals, the protection of Judge Pool, the admitted alteration of body cam video in a death by officer shooting, his working relationship in the office, and now the questionable endorsement mailer it makes you wonder. It makes us all wonder.

Rutherford and McDowell County both deserve better than this.

Please go vote for integrity, for transparency, for ethical behavior, for legal knowledge, but especially for change. You can make a difference.

Early voting is going on now. Final primary voting date is May 17th. All unaffiliated voters are eligible to vote in the Republican primary.

This article will be updated as new information is received.

No Justice Served…….Remembering Ethan Calton

Posted on April 24, 2022 by Deborah Keller

Ethan Calton and his mother Gwynne Miller King

April 24, 2020

Today would have been Ethan Calton’s 30^th birthday. His family and loved ones will be celebrating his life and memory today. His story is as follows.

Ethan was shot in the back during a service for arrest by officer Tyler Green with Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office on December 1, 2020. There were numerous questions concerning this case at that time as well as today still. Supposedly the SBI investigated the shooting thoroughly, but the results of that investigation were never released.

The family of Ethan had to take DA Ted Bell and current Sherriff Chris Francis to court to even be allowed to view the body cam video. After viewing it they found they had more questions than answers and that the date stamps did not appear to be consistent throughout the video. See the WLOS story and video here.

When questioned in court District Attorney (D.A.) Ted Bell confirmed to the judge that he had “stabilized” the video and it was a bit shorter in length than the original. D. A. Bell then released an enhanced version of a still shot off the video to the public.

The judge ordered him to show the entire unaltered video to the family. After seeing the unaltered version there were even more questions. When the video was released to the general public many questions were asked by them also.

Nowhere in this heartbreaking video did you see Ethan with a gun in his hand nor did you see any officers rendering first aid to him after he was shot. They never even checked a pulse. He was literally left lying where he fell while they walked over and around him.

It appears that this was Officer Tyler Green’s fifth incident with discharging a firearm in three years while working for Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. D.A. Ted Bell did not press charges against him, nor have we heard if any type of psychological evaluations on Officer Green for firearms safety have been done.

Ted Bell is running for D.A. in the May 17^th primary. He was called out by the judge in this “death by officer”, but how many other things similar to this has he intervened in? Since he has been in office, how many things has he filed away?

He claims to have a high conviction rate via plea deals, but how many such deals has he made by making people think they had no other choice. With such power should come responsibility. Have we really seen that with Ted Bell?

Cases that he was concerned about have languished six (6) or more years waiting to be heard. So much can happen in that time to cause a case to be dismissed. Is he truly acting responsibly to the people he was elected to serve?

What about the issue of “protecting” former Judge Randy Pool?

What about hearing the cases against Word Of Faith Fellowship members for an incident that happened in 2013?

What about the overdoses and deaths that have occurred at our jail during his tenure?

Who is he supposed to serve, the people of our communities, or his friends and co-workers?

What about the arrogance of thinking it was acceptable to alter a body cam video concerning a death by officer?

Is Bell who we really want to represent us-someone who seems to think that position and power are more important than actual justice for victims.

Today Ethan’s mother Gwynne Miller King mourns the unnecessary death of her son on the 30^th anniversary of his birth. His three young children will celebrate this bittersweet day with their mother, unfortunately quickly losing the memory of him with time.

Ethan was not given the opportunity to grow and be a father to his children or be there to help his mother as she grows older. People make mistakes in life, but those types of mistakes should not cause them to be executed by firearm and left to lie in the dirt alone.

Nothing will bring Ethan back to the people who loved him. They know in their hearts who he was. They also know how senseless his death was.

Justice must be served in this case someday. However, justice sometimes takes time and people who care about the truth. Ted Bell is not one of those people it seems.

Rutherford and McDowell County citizens deserve someone who actually cares about doing “the right thing.”

Gwynne, the community wraps their arms around you and your family during this time and sends you much love. Ethan will not be forgotten by them and neither will seeking justice for him.