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Someone sent me an 1993 N&O article that says:

... And he charged Michael Seagroves with manslaughter in the death of Jamal Evans Elliott, who along with three others allegedly broke into Seagroves' garage.

With the Seagroves case, Stephens has found -- in another rule -- what seems to be a way out. A special prosecutor from the state Attorney General's Office will prosecute Seagroves for manslaughter because Stephens will be prosecuting the young men charged with breaking into Seagroves' garage. Stephens says that prosecuting both Seagroves and the young men would put him in an "impermissible situation legally and ethically."

It does not seem to be online. It looked authenic to me and it struck a cord. Durham was apparently in an uproar about that case at the time. It struck me that DA Stephens would run and win his judgeship the next year. I have not found exactly when the trial took place yet, but I bet it influence him winning his election to Judge.

It looks authentic to me too. The shooting occurred in 1993, but I can't find anything in those few Google results that says when the trial occured. Stephens was appointed special Superior Court Judge in 1994 before being elected in 1995. You did a great job putting two and two together.

Here's a snippet from a tribute to the judge who presided over it.

http://www.thetimesnews.com/power_brokers/jb_allen.php
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Though the Stager case drew national attention, Allen said the Michael Seagroves manslaughter trial was his most extraordinary experience. Durham was in an uproar after a white man shot and killed a black teenager who broke into his garage. Seagroves said he was protecting his family. Allen and most everyone else involved in the trial faced death threats.

“It ended up the jury hung up, which was the best thing that could have happened to Durham,” Allen said. “You could just feel the emotions in the courtroom down there, the hatred.”

As soon as the trial ended, the Durham County sheriff and an SBI agent escorted Allen to the county line. North Carolina legislators later passed a “defense of habitation” law in response to the case.
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In other news, Greta has an email from one of the indicted players coming up.

A special prosecutor from the State Attorney General's Office will prosecute Seagroves for manslaughter because Stephens will be prosecuting the young men charged with breaking into Seagroves's garage.

The State Attorney General was Mike Easley, current NC governor who APPOINTED Mike Nifong to his present job.

I remember this case. Seagroves was home with a sick child and caught two "youts" breaking into his garage. They did flee as he fired at them killing one. Hadn't remembered the other details about the officials involved.

It's hard to imagine that he won, in view of the circumstances, even if the burglars were black. Or do Durham blacks think they and their fellow blacks should be beyond the law and beyond an individual's right to protect himself, his family and property from violent intrusion if the intruders are black and the victim is white? Apparently. If true, I hope they choke on their chittlins.