Tune in here to this Thursday's edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen!
Breaking Brett Jensen kicks the show off by talking about two major local news stories involving the Charlotte City Council, the FOP, and CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings. He then shifts focus to Governor Josh Stein’s visit to Charlotte, where Stein promoted a proposed Fentanyl Control Unit aimed at combating the opioid crisis in North Carolina. Stein’s plan includes allocating $2.5 million annually for three prosecutors and seven SBI agents dedicated to targeting fentanyl trafficking.
Jensen Interviews North Carolina State Senator Brad Overcash to discuss the Senate’s budget plan to address public safety in Mecklenburg County. Overcash, who helped craft the Senate’s budget, explained that a peer-reviewed study funded by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation and conducted by UNC Charlotte identified a significant shortage of prosecutors in the area. In response, the Senate budget includes funding for 10 new assistant district attorneys and five victim-witness coordinators in Mecklenburg County. Overcash emphasized that this approach was data-driven and developed in close consultation with the District Attorney’s Office and local stakeholders.
Jensen also interviewed Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather, who discussed the growing strain on his office and the urgent need for additional prosecutors. Despite serving over 1.2 million residents and handling the state’s highest criminal caseload, the office has only 62 fully funded assistant district attorney positions—unchanged since 2010. Merriweather detailed how underfunding has resulted in long trial delays, especially in homicide and violent crime cases, sometimes stretching five to six years. He credited ongoing conversations with legislators, including Senator Brad Overcash, for progress in addressing these needs.
Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen.
To be the first to hear about Breaking Brett Jensen's exclusives and more, follow him on X @Brett_Jensen!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes present: Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial
Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
Come hang with Amy Poehler. Each week on her podcast, she'll welcome celebrities and fun people to her studio. They'll share stories about their careers, mutual friends, shared enthusiasms, and most importantly, what's been making them laugh. This podcast is not about trying to make you better or giving advice. Amy just wants to have a good time.