Who is Spencer Merriweather, incumbent running for Mecklenburg district attorney?
Political party: Democrat
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 44
Campaign website: www.merriweatherforda.com
Email: merriweatherforda@gmail.com
Occupation: District Attorney of Mecklenburg County
Education: A.B., Princeton University (2000), J.D., University of North Carolina School of Law (2005)
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought)
Elected as District Attorney in 2018
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Major County Prosecutor’s Council, Vice Chair
National District Attorneys Association, Board Member
NC Conference of District Attorneys, Executive Committee Member
National Black Prosecutors Association Member
President of Mecklenburg Bar Foundation - 2018-19
Safe Alliance Board Member 2016-2021
If elected, what’s the most important change – if any – do you plan to make to the operations of the District Attorney’s Office?
As the pandemic recedes, the first order of business is to adjust structures within my office--and in the courts--to secure justice without delay in cases posing the greatest threat to public safety. Already, that has meant reorienting office resources away from many drug possession crimes and toward violent crime prosecution. It will also likely mean more aggressive pursuit of diversion opportunities for those with who have not reoffended while older, lower-threat cases have been pending.
Mr. Merriweather said he wants to work toward a “school system that is free of guns.” What specific steps can a Meck DA take to bring this about?
We must work with community partners to confront youth violence well before children end up in our court system. With the spike in guns in our schools this year, I have led the call for people across our county to work together to come up with proposals to give our kids more support. Early discussions with youth indicate that they have been badly in need of engagement since the onset of the pandemic. I can’t solve this alone, but I can help focus the community’s attention on this issue.
What does racial justice mean to you, and what policy of yours can you point to that addresses the racial inequities of the criminal justice system?
I first pursued this work to make an impact because I knew what it felt like to be treated inequitably by my government because of race. I have been committed to ensuring equitable outcomes in our courts for ALL defendants — and victims. My office became the first DA’s Office in NC to create a Diversity and Inclusion Team, where we have implemented a curriculum for all employees to raise awareness about inequitable practices and to develop empathy for every victim, no matter their background.
Is there an area where you disagree with your party? Why?
I am a lifelong Democrat because I believe in the ability of government to protect and improve the lives of the people its constituted to serve. My party has appropriately prioritized social services that confront root causes of society’s ills, but sometimes, at least at our state level, both parties have neglected to support our justice system, in favor of other priorities, instead of acknowledging how important functional courts are to a free and just society. This condition is unsustainable.
What separates you from your primary opponent?
I have demonstrated an ability to transform critical elements of the justice system, including more innovative approaches to bail, juvenile diversion, criminal record expunction, and other issues. But my devotion to justice reform will never compromise my fidelity to the law nor my solemn commitment to prioritize the safety of this community and to demonstrate empathy for victims of crime. My direction is motivated, not by political perspective, but by a career of experience serving victims.
What one professional or political accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am most proud of those experiences when I have given voice to a victim’s experience and enabled them to see justice, despite many obstacles along the way. Often our victims come to us already disenfranchised by poverty, racial and ethnic disparity, and a lack of institutional support. But I know they are owed the same rights and protections as anyone else. I’ve been able to deliver on that promise as a trial prosecutor and its my privilege to deliver on that same promise as an elected DA.
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