A couple blames a faulty gun safe for the death of their 12-year-old son. Now they're trying to make sure the tragedy they're going through doesn't happen to anyone else.

Family claims gun safe was defective in seeking justice for 12-year-old son who shot himself

Carson Preston

If you are planning to ship holiday gifts this year, be sure to check this list of shipping deadlines from the United States Postal Service, UPS and FedEx so all your packages arrive on time.


Deadlines for 2023 holiday shipping with USPS, FedEx, UPS

Fedex Truck 

All assets associated with the tag: dismissal

Dismissal Coverage

After their charges were dropped, Matthew Lewis Simms and Keyon Quarice West were released from jail. 

WE ARE JOINED LIVE FROM THE JAIL WITH NEW DETAILS. >> Reporter: THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE CASE. WITHIN THE PAST HOUR OR SO, WE HAVE WATCHED TWO MEN CHARGED WITH MURDER WHO SPENT YEARS BEHIND BARS WALK OUT OF THE DOORS. WE HAVE VIDEO TO SHOW YOU. ONE OF THEM, MATTHEW SIMMS WALKED OUT TO HIS CHEERING FAMILY MEMBERS. HE HAD BEEN LOCKED UP FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THIS CASE FELL APART WHEN ONE OF THE DEFENDANTS WHO ADMITTED HE WAS THERE IMPLICATED THE OTHERS AND ENDED UP RECANTING HIS STORY. WHILE THE FAMILIES OF THE MEN ARE NOW CELEBRATING, THEY'RE PRAYING, THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS ARE SHOCKED AND ANGRY. THE AUGUST 2017 SCENE WAS SIMPLY HORRIFIC. JAMES AND JANICE HARRIS AND JAMES AND PEGGY WHITLEY PLAYING CARDS AT THE KITCHEN TABLE, ALL FOUR SHOT AT CLOSE RANGE. HARRIS' GRANDDAUGHTER AMANDA DUNCAN FOUND THEM. >> LIVING THIS TRAGEDY DAY AFTER DAY FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS. >> Reporter: THEN FRIDAY'S NEW GUT PUNCH. THESE FOUR MEN, COTTON, SIMMS, WEST, POWELL. IN COURT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISMISSED CHARGES AGAINST ALL BUT POWELL. >> I AM ANGRY. I AM BEYOND WORDS. I CAN'T EVEN PUT INTO WORDS THE HURT AND PAIN THAT IS GOING THROUGH OUR FAMILY RIGHT NOW. >> I AM JUST HAPPY TO BE WITH MY FAMILY. I AM GLAD THE TRUTH CAME TO LIGHT, THAT I AM AN INNOCENT MAN. IT'S MESSED UP I HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS AND BE AWAY FROM MY FAMILY BUT WE MADE IT. >> WE CAUGHT UP WITH WEST AND HIS FAMILY MOMENTS AFTER. >> WE STUCK TOGETHER AND MAINTAINED. WE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN HIM. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A DOUBT. >> THE FAMILY HAD NO COMMENT ON POWELL WHO IMPLICATED WEST AND OTHER DEFENDANTS. THE SHERIFF SAYS POWELL RECANTED STATEMENTS BUT PHYSICAL EVIDENCE PLACES HIM AT THE SCENE. DUNCAN SAYS SHE'S FRUSTRATED NOT BECAUSE SHE THINKS GUILTY MEN ARE WALKING FREE BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS LED TO BELIEVE INVESTIGATORS BUILT A BETTER CASE. >> I AM FRUSTRATED BECAUSE IT WASN'T A STRONG CASE TO BEGIN WITH. IF THEY CAN'T EVEN SAY THESE ARE THE ONES THAT DID IT, HOW CAN I CALL THEM A KILLER? IT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. >> Reporter: WHILE WEST AND SIMMS WALKED OUT FREE MOMENTS AGO, COTTON AND POWELL REMAIN AT CENTRAL PRISON IN RALEIGH. COTTON FACES OTHER UNRELATED CHARGES AND HAS NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO MAKE BOND. POWELL OF COURSE IS STILL CHARGED IN THE MURDERS. WE REACHED OUT TO THE D.A. FOR HER COMMENT. I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. THE SHERIFF TELLS ME THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

Two accused of murders in Enfield go free after charges dropped

After searching for more than a decade for the head of an Angier plant that sold bacteria-tainted syringes that killed five people, federal authorities have given up and dropped criminal charges against him.

Feds drop charges against Angier company president on run for 12 years

AM2PAT plant in Angier

The majority of cases involving a convicted felon illegally possessing a firearm in Durham County have been dropped in recent years, according to a new report.

DAs say there are reasons gun charges may be dropped

Search underway for shooter after gunfire sprays Durham townhome

Report: Durham prosecutors dismiss majority of felon firearm possession charges

Two Wake County schools closed early Friday because of a power outage.

Power outage closes two Wake schools early

WRAL News

Durham County prosecutors have dropped a murder charge against a Chapel Hill man after a key witness in the 2016 case was killed.

Durham murder charge dismissed after witness killed

Curtis Marcel Barnette

A county with a history of driving while impaired troubles in the courtroom is seeing another spike in dismissed cases, a WRAL News investigation found.

Johnston DA, law enforcement blame courts for spike in DWI dismissals

Johnston judge disputes notion that DWI cases improperly dismissed

A county with a history of DWI troubles in the courtroom is seeing another spike in dismissed cases, a WRAL News investigation found.

Representatives of every law enforcement agency in Johnston County showed up for a recent interview WRAL Investigates had scheduled with District Attorney Susan Doyle to discuss a high rate DWI dismissals.

Johnston law enforcement united in seeking DWI convictions

Kevin Munn had more than a dozen felony convictions on his record before he killed businessman Tommy Ellington and psychologist Nancy Alford. He also had five felony charges dismissed by prosecutors around the time Ellington was gunned down in his home.