Afternoon Observer | Brown’s family may not see body cam video until mid-May + Man faces woman who abused his sister

Kristen Kornbluth
·4 min read

Hello, Charlotteans. Friday is here! This is Kristen, planning yet another weekend of relaxation and adventure. Looking for something to do? Check out CharlotteFive’s guide to the best things to do in Charlotte from May 7-13.

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Now, let’s talk news:

1. Andrew Brown’s family may have to wait longer to see body cam video

Andrew Brown Jr.’s longtime partner Patrice Revelle comforts their son Jhamiere Revelle, 14, during a press conference Saturday, April 24, 2021 demanding the release of body camera footage in the shooting death of Brown by a Pasquotank County Sheriff Deputy in Elizabeth City on Wednesday.
Andrew Brown Jr.’s longtime partner Patrice Revelle comforts their son Jhamiere Revelle, 14, during a press conference Saturday, April 24, 2021 demanding the release of body camera footage in the shooting death of Brown by a Pasquotank County Sheriff Deputy in Elizabeth City on Wednesday.

There’s body cam footage of the moments when Pasquotank County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed Andrew Brown Jr. Both Brown’s family and the sheriff’s office have called for public release of the footage. But the family might need to wait longer to see it, as reported by the News & Observer’s Tyler Dukes.

  • Under North Carolina law, police and sheriff’s departments cannot unilaterally publish or provide copies of video from body or dashboard cameras. They must petition a court and ask a judge to order the release.

Superior Court Judge Jeff Foster originally gave the sheriff’s office 10 days to comply with an order to show the family portions of the videos with the faces of officers blurred. The written order from Thursday, however, says the family should see the videos no later than next weekend, 10 days after the judge’s decision was filed.

Chantel Cherry-Lassiter, one of the Brown family’s attorneys, said the order leaves the timeline unclear.

Get more details about the situation here with Dukes.

2. Brother faces Charlotte woman who abused his elderly sister

Starting in 2014, Donna Graves and two co-conspirators started cleaning Katherine Torricelli’s Indian Land home. Then they methodically took over her life.

  • After taking over her finances, selling her jewelry and cutting her off from her family — even hiring someone to point a gun at her brother when he came to visit — the scam has caught up with the trio.

  • Two of them received prison time, while one pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later.

“I said, ‘Donna, you are unfeeling and you have an evil heart,” Torricelli’s brother, Art Doumtjes, said as he described the scene at the federal courthouse.

Learn more about the scam and the suit with the Observer’s Michael Gordon.

3. Atrium opens new vaccine trial to kids age 12 to 17

Atrium Health is launching a new COVID vaccine trial for children and teens, officials announced Friday.

The details, with the Observer’s Hannah Smoot:

  • The trial is open to 12- to 17-year-olds.

  • Enrollment closes May 21.

  • The trial is for the Novavax COVID vaccine.

  • Everyone who takes part in the trial will get the study vaccine within the first six months of the trial, according to Atrium.

4. New Lizzie Borden house owner has NC ties

US Ghost Adventures, a Virginia-based company behind Queen City Ghosts, host of an Uptown Charlotte walking tour, has purchased the notorious Lizzie Borden home in Fall River, Massachusetts, as reported by the Observer’s Catherine Muccigrosso.

The lore:

  • Lizzie Borden was accused of the ax murders of her father and stepmother in 1892, but was acquitted.

  • The case is one of the most infamous unsolved murders in U.S. history.

  • Borden’s stepmother was killed in the second floor guest room.

The home:

  • A tourist attraction and vacation destination for decades, the house was sold for $2 million in March.

  • The home has been a bed and breakfast and museum since the 1990s. US Ghost Adventures plans to offering multiple day and night tours.

  • The company is celebrating with a sweepstakes, which includes a complimentary two-night stay at the house.

“It was a really big get for us and we’re excited to be a part of the story,” company spokeswoman Azure Hall told the Observer.

5. Outdoor group fitness workouts to check out in Charlotte

Sweatnet’s outdoor workouts are full of variety, including bootcamp, barre, HIIT and more. Shown here is a sunset rooftop yoga class.
Sweatnet’s outdoor workouts are full of variety, including bootcamp, barre, HIIT and more. Shown here is a sunset rooftop yoga class.

We’re getting vaccinated, and it’s time to go outside. Might as well get your sweat on while you’re out there, right?

From free yoga at the Whitewater Center to rooftop barre class, there’s something for every exerciser in this roundup from the CharlotteFive team. Do you have your eye on any of these classes? Know of any that aren’t included in the roundup? Let me know!

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