This past summer, the Moore County District Attorney’s Office identified 79 driving while impaired (DWI) cases pending in Moore County District Court with dates of offense from July 2021 or earlier.
Moore County District Attorney Mike Hardin requested the court schedule a special week of Moore County District Court to handle these matters beginning Oct. 17 and ending Oct. 21.
Last week, 55 cases were scheduled for trial, and 38 cases were closed as a result of the special session, said Hardin in a press release.
After being calendared for trial, 32 cases resulted in guilty verdicts. Six cases resulted in not guilty verdicts. Thirteen cases were continued on defendants’ motion to continue. Three defendants did not appear for court resulting in orders for their arrest being issued. Overall, the week ended with an 84.2% conviction rate, said Hardin.
This is the second year the Moore County District Attorney’s Office has conducted a week-long special DWI court to dispose of cases to prevent a back log.
“I would like to thank the Moore County Clerk’s Office, the Bailiff Staff, and the many different law enforcement agencies that worked with my office to make this week a success,” said Hardin. “I would also like to thank the Conference of District Attorney’s for providing their assistance and providing staff to assist my office.”
Feature photo: A multiagency Region 6 Traffic Task Force Checkpoint at the intersection of U.S. 15-501 and Hwy 211 in Aberdeen in March 2021 netted 55 charges including one DWI~Sandhills Sentinel.
Contributed.
