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NAACP rallies for shorter jail time before trial

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — The NAACP rallied for changes in the Cabarrus County court system.
 
The president of the Cabarrus County chapter said there are 17 inmates who have been in jail for 300 days or more with no trial.
 
They said it's a waste of taxpayer money and they're asking the district attorney why these cases are taking so long.
 
"We'd like to know why folks are being housed so long without a trial date -- 300 days is unacceptable," Amos McClorey, president of NAACP Cabarrus County.

The Cabarrus County District Attorney's Office's office checked its system and found that the average amount of time people spend in jail on a felony charge is 176 days.
 
Requests for a new attorney by defendants and also State Bureau of Investigation lab delays can push back a person's trial, according to the DA's office.

"Despite these obstacles, the Cabarrus County District Attorney's Office is in the top third in the state for quickly moving cases," said an official at the District Attorney's Office.