Case Title: State v. Augustine

Citation: 

Docket Number: 139PA13

State: north-carolina

Court: North Carolina Supreme Court

Date: 2015-12-18T00:00:00Z

Document:
No. 139PA13 
 
TWELFTH DISTRICT 
 
FILED 18 DECEMBER 2015 
 
SUPREME COURT OF NORTH CAROLINA 
 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
 
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA 
) 
 
 
 
 
) 
 
v.  
 
 
)      From Cumberland County 
 
 
 
 
) 
QUINTEL AUGUSTINE, TILMON 
) 
GOLPHIN, and CHRISTINA WALTERS ) 
 
 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
 
ORDER 
 
 
The trial court granted respondents’ motions for appropriate relief under the 
Racial Justice Act, N.C.G.S. §§ 15A-2010 to -2012 (2009) and N.C.G.S. §§ 15A-2010 
to -2012 (2011 & Supp. 2012).  After careful review, we conclude that the error 
recognized in this Court’s Order in State v. Robinson, ___ N.C. ___, ___ S.E.2d ___ 
(2015) (411A94-5), infected the trial court’s decision, including its use of issue 
preclusion, in these cases.  Accordingly, the trial court’s order is vacated.  
Furthermore, the trial court erred when it joined these three cases for an evidentiary 
hearing.  These cases are therefore remanded to the senior resident superior court 
judge of Cumberland County for reconsideration of respondents’ motions for 
appropriate relief.  Cf. Gen. R. Pract. Super. & Dist. Cts. 25(4), 2016 Ann. R. N.C. 22. 
 
We express no opinion on the merits of respondents’ motions for appropriate 
relief at this juncture.  On remand, the trial court should address petitioner’s 
constitutional and statutory challenges pertaining to the Act.  In any new hearings 
 
 
2 
on the merits, the trial court may, in the interest of justice, consider additional 
statistical studies presented by the parties.  The trial court may also, in its discretion, 
appoint an expert under N.C. R. Evid. 706 to conduct a quantitative and qualitative 
study, unless such a study has already been commissioned pursuant to this Court’s 
Order in Robinson, in which case the trial court may consider that study.  If the trial 
court appoints an expert under Rule 706, the Court hereby orders the Administrative 
Office of the Courts to make funds available for that purpose. 
 
By order of the Court in Conference, this 15th day of December, 2015.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
s/Jackson, J. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For the Court 
 
 
 
Justice BEASLEY and Justice ERVIN did not participate in the consideration 
or decision of these cases. 
 
 
WITNESS my hand and the seal of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, this 
18th day of December, 2015. 
 
                        
 
 
CHRISTIE S. CAMERON ROEDER 
                        
 
 
Clerk of the Supreme Court 
 
                       
 
  
s/M.C. Hackney 
                        
 
 
Assistant Clerk