CHARLOTTE, NC – Monday morning the Mecklenburg County Courthouse will be the center of attention as CMPD Officer Randall “Wes” Kerrick goes on trial.
“They’re going over their questionnaires. They’re making sure that all of their evidence is in order,” explains attorney John Snyder.
Snyder, who is not involved with the case, says both sides are preparing for what could be a lengthy jury selection.
“This will be an informative week, I think, for the general public over what both sides theories of the case are, and maybe what some of the evidence is,” Snyder says.
Kerrick is charged with voluntary manslaughter in the 2013 death of Johnathan Ferrell.
Throughout the trial, you can expect to see protestors like John Barnett and his group True Healing Under God.
“We plan to have members at the courthouse, literally everyday,” Barnett says.
Barnett and others rallied Sunday afternoon in North Charlotte. They plan to fill seats in the courtroom and say they’ll be there no matter how long the it goes.
“We’ve been waiting two years so we don’t mind waiting two or three months,” Barnett says.
He and others say they want justice for Jonathan Ferrell but not violence.
“People might not be as calm as they should be,” says Pastor Brenda Stevenson.
Stevenson held a candle light vigil in West Charlotte Sunday to pray for peace.
“Our faith shall sustain us and we shall have peace in this city,” Stevenson said.
CMPD declined an interview about their security plans but sent WCCB a statement
saying, “The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and our community share a strong relationship built on trust and respect. We are prepared to protect our citizens and facilitate the constitutional rights of individuals who wish to peacefully assemble and demonstrate.”
