Pubdate: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 Source: Asheville Citizen-Times (NC) Copyright: 2007 Asheville Citizen-Times Contact: http://www.citizen-times.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/863 Author: Kerra L. Bolton HOGAN, BELLAMY WANT FUNDS TO IMPROVE COURT SYSTEM RALEIGH -- Asheville police might never have had the confrontation that led to a fatal shooting last year if the state's court system wasn't so clogged, Police Chief Bill Hogan said Tuesday. Hogan and Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy were in Raleigh, meeting with lawmakers in making a pitch for hiring more judges and assistant district attorneys. Advertisement An Asheville police officer on July 6 killed Lacy Pickens III by shooting into his car four times out of fear Pickens was about to run down his partner. Hogan said Pickens, 27, was picked up a month and a half before the shooting for possession of 4 kilograms of cocaine. "Had he been held during that time, (the officer) might not have been put in the position where we had to use deadly force," the police chief said in an interview. Many offenders are back on the street within hours of being arrested. The three-strikes law counts only when offenders are convicted with felonies. Because the court system is so backed up, criminals could commit countless crimes before they are finally convicted of a felony, Hogan said. "The folks who are engaged in criminal activity have no fear or respect for the court system because it's so overwhelmed," Hogan said. "We're trying to establish a system of accountability." There were 2,844 felony cases filed in Buncombe County Criminal Superior Court from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006, the latest year for which the figures were available from the state Office of Courts. Of those, 76 went to trial, 132 pleaded to a lesser offense, and 1,820 pleaded guilty as charged. "Looking at the conviction rates in a one-year snapshot is kind of tricky," said Buncombe County District Attorney Ron Moore. "Maybe you didn't have a long trial and got shorter cases. We continue to deal with more and more people, although the crime rates are down." State lawmakers allocated $3.8 million and $1.1 million last year to hire new prosecutors and judges, respectively, across the state. Buncombe County got one of each. A budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year won't be passed until late summer or early fall. Bellamy said she did a study and found the most crime-infested neighborhoods also had unemployment rates at 50 percent. "We need more support for prevention programs," Bellamy said. "It's not just one bullet that will solve the problem. There has to be a comprehensive plan." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek