Reputed gang leader: Throw my charges out

Jamell Cureton, facing the death penalty in what authorities describe as the gang-related slayings of three people, appears in Charlotte federal court Wednesday to ask that the charges be thrown out.

Cureton says his right to defend himself has been undermined by a Jan. 12 raid on his Mecklenburg County jail cell. During the search, FBI agent seized protected correspondence between Cureton and his attorney among other documents, the 22-year-old Charlotte man says.

In a four-page, handwritten letter to U.S. District Judge Max Cogburn, Cureton says some of the documents have yet to be returned, and he believes they have been shared with prosecutors. That, he says, compromises his right to a fair trial.

“I honestly see no possible way to properly or effectively defend myself,” Cureton wrote.

Cureton is among 12 reputed members of the United Blood Nation charged with running a criminal enterprise in Charlotte. He is charged with the 2013 murder of Kwamne Clyburn in a Charlotte park and of planning the lake-home hit on Doug and Debbie London last October. A 51-page federal indictment says the couple was killed to keep the husband from testifying against three gang members who attempted to rob the Londons’ mattress store last May. Cureton was wounded by Doug London during the attempt.

In all, the indictment accuses Cureton of 10 crimes; six carry a potential death penalty. At the time of the FBI raid, he was being held on an attempted robbery charge. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

In separate filings, Cureton and his attorney, Chiege Okwara of Charlotte, say the charges should be thrown out because of violations of Cureton’s due process, protection from unlawful search and seizures, and attorney-client confidentiality.

Okwara alleges that the documents taken and read by the FBI included legal strategy and advice. She says investigators have used the information to broaden their probe and to interview new witnesses.

During the search of Cureton’s cell, the FBI also found a photo collage that included the images of presiding U.S. District Judge Frank Whitney and two other public figures, which led to the three being placed under protective watch. Afterward, Whitney stepped down from presiding over Cureton’s case. He was replaced by Cogburn.

In his letter, Cureton accused the FBI of releasing information about the cell search to the media, who then “plastered that knowledge” across the media, “slandering my name and image.”

Both the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment Tuesday.

This story was originally published May 12, 2015 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Reputed gang leader: Throw my charges out."