CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Prosecutors asked court officials Wednesday to hurry up the sentencing of an accused Bloods gang member after the discovery of a shank and books at the jail.
Mecklenburg County jail staff found a 2 1/2 inch long metal shank inside Jamell Cureton’s pod on Oct. 22, according to the motion. Staff also found a book in his cell that belonged to another inmate and contained markings that “could be some sort of coded communication,” according to prosecutors.
The crux of the case against Cureton and several other United Blood Nation members focuses on a 2014 double murder.
Prosecutors said Cureton is under “special administrative measures” while he is in custody at the Mecklenburg County jail. However, officials said the measures are burdensome on the jail and they want him moved to a federal prison where officials are more equipped to follow the restrictions.
A source familiar with the matter told Eyewitness News that there are questions about whether the metal objects belonged to Cureton or got there by other means.
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Doug and Debbie London were shot to death at their home in October 2014. Investigators said members of the United Blood Nation gang killed the couple to keep them from testifying about an armed robbery at their mattress store.
According to police, accused gang member Jamell Cureton played a role in a May armed robbery at the London's furniture store in south Charlotte. He was in jail when the Londons were slain, but court records said he ordered the killings.
Cureton pleaded guilty in September to the Londons’ murder and other charges.
Channel 9 has reported that photos of judges and Charlotte's city attorney were found in Cureton's jail cell in the past. Court documents filed in June 2015 reveal gang members watched a reporter covering the case.
An inmate housed with Cureton told investigators that Cureton keeps documents in his cell mixed in with his legal materials.
"Cureton has started a file on a news reporter who keeps talking about the homicide case," the inmate told investigators.
According to court documents, Cureton also recorded specific details about a reporter in Charlotte, calling him a "skinny white boy" who chain smokes, has slicked-back hair and drives a burgundy car.
The motion filed Tuesday said that defense attorneys object to prosecutors’ action.
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