Tag Archive for: #districtattorneysoffice

William Small pleads guilty to the 2014 murder of Gwendolyn Leake

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— press release courtesy of District Attorney Mike Waters

Louisburg, NC— On Friday, October 06, 2017, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Robert H. Hobgood presided over a special setting of Vance County Criminal Superior Court. This session of court was held in Franklin County for the sake of convenience. District Attorney Mike Waters and Assistant District Attorney Melissa Pelfrey represented the State of North Carolina, and defense attorney, Mary Jude Darrow represented the defendant William Small. Mr. Small, whose case was set first for trial on Monday, October 9, 2017, entered into a plea agreement to Second Degree Murder and received an active sentence of 400 to 492 months in the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction for his role in the death of retired Vance County Department of Social Services employee Gwendolyn Leake. Ms. Leake was found murdered in her home on October 24, 2014. This case was investigated by Detective Donnie Thomas of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, under the supervision of Sheriff Peter White, with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Olivieri Sworn In as ADA

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— courtesy of the Office of District Attorney Mike Waters

Louisburg, NC – Local Louisburg Attorney Joseph Olivieri was sworn in on October 2, 2017, as an Assistant District Attorney in the Office of District Attorney Mike Waters. Accompanied by his wife Kerry and son Joey, Mr. Olivieri was sworn in by Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Robert H. Hobgood at the Franklin County Courthouse.

Mr. Olivieri graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Pennsylvania in 1995. After teaching for three years at Franklinton High School, he graduated from UNC Law School and began practicing law in 2001. For the past ten years he has practiced law in Louisburg.

The District Attorney’s Office is proud of the edition of Mr. Olivieri to our staff. His sixteen years of experience, and familiarity with this area, will be an asset to our office.

DA Mike Waters welcomes new Assistant District Attorney

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District Attorney Mike Waters welcomes new Assistant District Attorney Nicole G. Burnette to his office as of December 1, 2016.

Ms. Burnette was born and raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She attended North Carolina State University on a full scholarship, where she double majored in political science and criminology. Ms. Burnette attended the University of Maryland School of Law, and graduated in May 2015, where she was honored with the Litigation and Advocacy Award, as well as the Public Interest Award. While in law school, Ms. Burnette served as a member of the trial team, an Articles Editor for the Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class, and served as Vice President for the Black Law Students’ Association.

Ms. Burnette resides in Creedmoor, North Carolina with her husband.