Latest news with #MecklenburgCountySuperiorCourt
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steve Smith Sr. alleged cheating scandal takes a shocking turn over "Homewrecker" law
Steve Smith Sr., the fiery former Carolina Panthers wide receiver known for his toughness on the field, now finds himself battling a different kind of opponent — a civil lawsuit in North Carolina court. According to a suit filed Tuesday in Mecklenburg County Superior Court, Smith is being sued for more than $100,000 by Antonio Martinez, the husband of a woman Smith allegedly had an affair with. The woman, a member of the Baltimore Ravens' marching band, reportedly met Smith during the filming of his NFL Network series 'The NFL's Most Interesting Jobs.' From there, the lawsuit claims, the relationship escalated through months of sexually explicit messages and culminated in a hotel meeting while Smith was in Baltimore for the Ravens' January playoff game. Advertisement Alleged Affair Sparks Legal Firestorm The lawsuit cites North Carolina's 'alienation of affection' statute — a rare but still-active law sometimes called the 'homewrecker law.' It allows one spouse to sue a third party for allegedly undermining the emotional foundation of a marriage. Martinez claims he discovered the affair after finding messages between his wife and Smith, including a censored nude photo of the five-time Pro Bowler. He later posted those messages publicly on X (formerly Twitter), and confronted Smith in a phone call during which Smith reportedly said, 'I'm sorry.' This law requires proof that genuine love and affection existed in the marriage before the alleged interference — a burden of proof Martinez is prepared to pursue in court. Reputation, Legacy, and Fallout Advertisement Smith, 45, is one of the most revered figures in Panthers history, retiring with 14,731 career receiving yards — good for 8th all-time in the NFL. Post-retirement, he reinvented himself as a respected analyst and media personality. The lawsuit could tarnish that reputation, especially among the Carolina faithful who still view him as a franchise cornerstone. With the legal battle unfolding publicly, Smith faces scrutiny not just in court, but from fans and media alike. Whether he chooses to settle, fight back, or stay silent could shape how his legacy evolves off the field. Related: Dan Morgan on David Tepper: 'Not the villain you think he is' Related: Panthers GM Dan Morgan believes Tetairoa McMillan was too valuable to pass up
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Former Mecklenburg County judge faces felony drug charges, court docs show
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A former Mecklenburg County Superior Court judge is facing felony drug charges following his arrest Monday. Around 4:14 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop on Independence Blvd., pulling over a Mercedes SUV allegedly displaying a fictitious registration. According to court documents, that vehicle was driven by 52-year-old Charles 'Casey' Viser. The arresting officer claims he saw an open alcohol container on the passenger floorboard, prompting a further search of the vehicle. Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area 🚨 >> Latest stories here During the search, the officer found a jar containing 0.2 grams of a 'white powder substance,' believed to be cocaine, and a straw with white residue that matched the substance. Viser was arrested and charged with two counts of felony possession of cocaine and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was given a $2,500 bond and has since been released from jail. Viser was elected to the North Carolina Superior Court in 2020 after narrowly edging out Democratic nominee and former District Court judge Alicia Brooks. He later resigned from his duties in July 2022 for unknown reasons. Viser's next appearance in court is scheduled for May 2. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
NFL star Steve Smith Sr. sued for alleged affair with a man's wife under bizarre law that exists in six states
Former NFL player Steve Smith Sr is being sued in North Carolina for allegedly having an affair with a married Baltimore Ravens marching band member. The band member's husband, Antonio Martinez, is asking for over $100,000 in damages according to a civil lawsuit that was filed this week at the Mecklenburg County Superior Court. Martinez is exploring a legal loophole of sorts in North Carolina, which is only one of six states in the United States with the so-called 'Homewrecker law', known officially as the 'alienation of affecation' law. It allows a spouse to sue a third party for destroying a marriage. Back in February, allegations first emerged about the 45-year-old Smith when an account seemingly belonging to Martinez shared a screenshot of an array of text messages appearing to confront Smith. The post has since been deleted. But according to the lawsuit, Martinez also called Smith over his alleged involvement with his wife. 'You've been f***ing my wife, bro,' the lawsuit claims Martinez said. 'Whatcha gotta say for yourself?' 'I'm sorry,' Smith reportedly responded. Smith met Martinez's wife at her job with the Ravens, the lawsuit says. It also says that Martinez has now split from his wife due to her alleged affair. Ex-NFL player Smith ended his football career with the Baltimore team but spent the majority of his playing days as a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers. Daily Mail has attempted to contact Smith's representatives for comment. He posted a seemingly cryptic comment on Instagram on Friday about feeling fear. 'F.E.A.R has two meanings - Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything and Rise,' it said. Smith has been married to his wife Angie since 2000. The pair have four children together: Peyton, Baylee, Boston and Steve Jr. Smith Sr has regularly spoken about his love for his family, even claiming that the 'most important thing he did' in his football career was to 'make sure that my kids don't need to play sports in order to attend college'. He added: 'They don't need to run, jump, catch or flip.' Smith isn't the first NFL player to be involved in allegations around the little-known law. A 2017 report from Associated Press says Fletcher Cox, defensive tackle of the Philadelphia Eagles, said that Joshua Jeffords filed a lawsuit for alienation of affectation.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
A judge denied a plea deal in a Belmont man's death
A second judge rejected a plea deal that would have sent a man to prison for up to 2 ½ years for allegedly dumping a Belmont man's body in a dumpster after he died. Superior Court Judge George C. Bell said that he wasn't comfortable accepting 27-year-old D'Shaun Robinson's guilty plea connected to the death of 31-year-old Andy Tench. Tench went out in the early morning hours of March 25, 2024, to celebrate his birthday at The Bar at 316, an LGBTQ-friendly bar, according to his family. He never came home. Instead, he was seen in surveillance footage leaving the bar with Robinson, Assistant District Attorney Kyle Huggins said in Mecklenburg County Superior Court on Tuesday. Robinson later told police that while he was with Tench, Tench died, and he put Tench's body in a dumpster, then went shopping using Tench's financial cards, driving Tench's car around the Charlotte area. Tench's car broke down in Union County, and Robinson abandoned it there, Huggins said. Tench's body was never recovered, and prosecutors do not have the evidence to prove that Robinson is responsible for Tench's death, Huggins added. Tench's family has asked the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to search an Anson County landfill for Tench's body, as they believe that if Robinson's story is true, Tench's body would be there. The police department so far has refused to do so. A petition asking that the landfill be searched has over 6,000 signatures. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in search warrant documents that they believe Tench was murdered, but in a statement, they said they haven't been able to corroborate claims that Tench's body is actually in the landfill. Robinson pleaded guilty to charges of identity theft and concealment of death in Tench's death, as well as second-degree burglary in an unrelated case. Had Bell accepted his plea, Robinson would have been sentenced to 17-30 months in prison and two years of supervised probation. He has already spent 362 days in the Mecklenburg County Detention Center awaiting the resolution of his case. But ultimately, after presiding over the bulk of the plea hearing, Bell was swayed by arguments from Tench's family, who urged him not to accept the plea deal. Dressed in a black t-shirt emblazoned with the words, "Justice for Andy," along with a picture of Tench's face, Tench's sister, Natasha Newman, addressed Robinson directly. "What you have done is not OK, and a little bit of jail time will not hold you accountable. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that you are very much capable of doing this to someone else," Newman said. "You should be held accountable." Newman told Bell that Robinson should receive a longer prison sentence than the one offered in the plea deal. "He deserves more time," she told Bell. "This little amount of time, it's not fair to my family. It's not fair to Andy." After hearing from Newman and a family friend, reading letters other members of Tench's family wrote and reviewing the petition, Bell said he was not comfortable proceeding with the plea, and Huggins withdrew the plea offer. Newman said afterward that she was grateful to Bell for listening to the family. "We cannot call that plea deal justice for Andy, so today we're grateful that the judge has rejected the plea, along with the state withdrawing the plea. We are hoping that this is another step forward in the right direction of getting justice for Andy," Newman said. Tracie Blanton, Tench's mother, said in an interview that she wants Robinson's case to go to trial, which has the potential for a much steeper sentence. "I'm ecstatic right now. Andy's going to get justice. We won't stop until he does," Blanton said. Bell was the second judge in recent months to reject the plea deal. In March, Superior Court Judge Craig Collins also would not proceed after hearing from Tench's family. 'I'm just not going to do this,' Collins said after reading Newman's victim-impact statement, according to The Charlotte Observer. This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Family says they will continue to seek justice for Andy Tench
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Charlotte nursing home sued after maggot-infested wound found on dementia patient
A Charlotte nursing home is facing a lawsuit after a woman's wound became infested with maggots, prompting her grandson to seek legal action against the facility and its owners. Bernice Mayes, an 81-year-old dementia patient, developed a maggot-infested wound four months after recovering from COVID-19 while residing at University Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Her grandson, Justin Waddell, filed a lawsuit in Mecklenburg County Superior Court, alleging negligence and failure to maintain cleanliness and sanitation at the facility. 'The health and wellbeing of our residents is, and always has been, our top priority,' said Tou Lor, the facility administrator, in an email to the Charlotte Observer. ALSO READ: 'Stripped him of dignity': Son claims nursing home neglected, abused dad before death Mayes had been living at University Place for about a year when she contracted COVID-19 and was temporarily transferred to a facility specializing in COVID-19 treatment. Upon her return, she developed bed sores on her heel, which later became infested with maggots. According to the lawsuit, by August 2021, maggots were found in Mayes' wound, and the nursing home allegedly failed to take appropriate action. The medical director reportedly ordered the wound to be cleaned with vinegar and water without examining it personally. After receiving a video of the wound from nurses, Waddell insisted that his grandmother be taken to the hospital. He later filed a complaint with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, leading to fines and corrective measures for the facility. The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages and a trial by jury, highlighting ongoing concerns about care standards in nursing homes, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. VIDEO: 'Stripped him of dignity': Son claims nursing home neglected, abused dad before death
