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From North Carolina Representative Keith Kidwell

State Representative Keith Kidwell was appointed by House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) to the House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement and Justice. The committee will examine North Carolina’s criminal justice systems to propose methods of improving police training and relations between law enforcement and its communities. The committee will also review the implementation of the Second Chance Act and Raise the Age to highlight recent historic criminal justice reforms.

Kidwell is honored to serve the people of the great state of North Carolina.

“We have a unique opportunity through our strong public membership represented on this committee to continue making real progress for North Carolinians on issues that affect our nation,” Moore said. “This bipartisan committee includes diverse perspectives to confront tough questions and identify policy reforms that help overcome discrimination, excessive force and corruption in the criminal justice system to improve public safety for all North Carolinians.”

Members of the House appointed to the House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement and Justice include:

• Representative John Szoka, Chair (R-Cumberland)
• Representative Kristin Baker, Chair (R-Cabarrus)
• Representative Howard Hunter, Chair (D-Hertford)
• Representative Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg)
• Representative Allison Dahle (D-Wake)
• Representative Ted Davis (R-New Hanover)
• Representative John Faircloth (R-Guilford)
• Representative Elmer Floyd (D-Cumberland)
• Representative Jon Hardister (R-Guilford)
• Representative Craig Horn (R-Union)
• Representative Joe John (D-Wake)
• Representative Perrin Jones, MD (R-Pitt)
• Representative Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort)
• Representative Carolyn Logan (D-Mecklenburg)
• Representative Amos Quick (D-Guilford)
• Representative Billy Richardson (D-Cumberland)
• Representative Stephen Ross (R-Alamance)
• Representative Phil Shepard (R-Onslow)
• Representative Sarah Stevens (R-Surry)

Members of the public appointed to the House Select Committee include:

• Dr. Felicia Arriaga — Assistant professor of sociology in the criminology concentration at Appalachian State University. She completed her undergraduate, Master’s Degree and PhD in Sociology at Duke University. She defended her dissertation in Sociology at Duke University in May 2018. Her research interests are in the areas of race, ethnicity, and immigration.
• Judge Marvin K. Blount, III — Superior court judge for the 3A Judicial District of the First Division of the Superior Court, which presides over Pitt County in North Carolina. He was appointed to the court by Governor Bev Perdue in 2012. Blount was re-elected to the 3A Judicial District of the First Division of the Superior Court in 2014.
• Councilmen Tariq Bokhari — Has served as a member of the Charlotte City Council representing District 6 since 2017. Bokhari’s career experience includes starting the company PFM Hero, serving as the head of innovation and investment for FIS Global and working for GE Capital, Wells Fargo and Wachovia.
• Sheriff Paula Dance — Sheriff of Pitt County since 2018. Sheriff Dance is the first African – American female sheriff in the state. Dance is a veteran law enforcement officer, having served the public for almost three decades.
• Judge Fred Gore — District court judge from Whiteville and running for Court of Appeals. Judge Gore has completed specialized training in order to become a Certified Juvenile Court Judge. He is also continuing his 27th year of service in the N.C. National Guard, the last 11 as a major in the JAG Corp.
• Christine Mumma — Previously clerked for the late Supreme Court Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake Jr., who inspired her criminal justice work. Mumma joined the N.C. Center on Actual Innocence in 2001 and later became executive director of the organization. She worked with Justice Lake to establish a national, precedent-setting commission of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim advocates, judges, defense attorneys and academics that crafted groundbreaking criminal justice reforms.
• Sheriff Van Shaw — Cabarrus County Sheriff with more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement. He spent many years with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and served as the agency’s deputy director before retiring in 2015, when he joined the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office to oversee the criminal investigation division.
• Councilwoman Nicole Stewart — At-large member of the Raleigh City Council since 2017. Stewart’s current term ends in 2021.
• Nicholas Tessener — Recent Campbell University law school graduate.
• Dr. Greg Wallace — A professor of law at Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law since 1995. He teaches constitutional law with an emphasis on criminal procedure, religious freedom, the right to arms, free speech and constitutional interpretation.
• District Attorney A William R. West, Jr. — Has served as district attornew for Cumberland County (District 14), NC since 2011. He is the President Elect of the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys and an appointee to the N.C. Human Trafficking Commission.
• Troy A. Williams — Designated as an expert witness by the North Carolina Office of Capital Defender for first degree and undesignated degree murder cases. He has 14 years of experience as a law firm investigator and criminal analyst. Troy’s independent research led to exposing the practice of racial profiling, also called driving while black by the Fayetteville Police Department.
• District Attorney R. Andrew Womble — Has served as district attorney for Chowan, Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties (District 1) since 2013.