Bill seeks to toughen charges in domestic violence murders

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Senate bill filed last week looks to redefine first-degree murder in domestic violence homicide cases.

Already this year, 27 people have been slain in Charlotte. Of those cases. police say 10 of them involved domestic violence.

That's part of the reason Sen. Jeff Jackson introduced Senate Bill 600.

The new bill would allow courts to look more closely at the history between the suspect and victim that would result in harsher charges in domestic killings.

If passed, the bill would change the definition for first-degree murder, and assume the suspect acted deliberately, if prosecutors can also prove a history of domestic violence against the same victim.

Among the factors are violation of a domestic violence protective order, communicating threats, or any crime in which assault is an element.

“It's a big piece of this spike in crime in Charlotte that we're seeing,” Jackson said. “That definitely is something that needs to be put on the table and considered. There are always signs.”

Genicia Hairston is still grieving the loss of her younger sister Daphne.

Last November, police said Daphne’s ex-boyfriend stabbed her multiple times, while she was at work. She died a month later.

“It was an ongoing thing, calling the job, harassing her, coming up there,” Hairston said. “I saw it hands on how hard it was for my sister. I saw it, but it's even harder for the aftermath if it becomes fatal.”

An attorney told Channel 9 there could be legal challenges with the bill.

"As it's written right now, he’s concerned the language is too broad," he said.

Cox Media Group