Release date: 11/20/2018
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today announced that Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather and Cornelius resident Debbie Dalton have received the Attorney General’s Dogwood Award. These awards are given annually to honor North Carolinians who are dedicated to keeping people safe, healthy, and happy in their communities.
“I’m proud to honor Spencer Merriweather’s work on criminal justice issues,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “He is a leader in providing justice through pre-trial services and accountability. As we work to improve fairness, public safety and address growing criminal justice costs, his leadership will be extremely important. He’s also a strong partner in our ongoing efforts to confront the opioid crisis.”
Spencer Merriweather is the District Attorney for Mecklenburg County, a position he has held since 2017. Previously, District Attorney Merriweather was a prosecutor in drug treatment courts, where he helped find paths to treatment and recovery for low level offenders struggling with addiction. He has also expanded the use of diversion and pre-trial programs that emphasize community integration and connections and re-entry efforts to help people leaving incarceration build new beginnings. “Debbie Dalton is truly an inspiration,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “Faced with one of the most horrible tragedies any of us can imagine, Debbie has spent countless hours trying to prevent other parents from experiencing loss. I am grateful for all of her work to prevent drug misuse and overdose among young people.”
Debbie Dalton lost her son Hunter to the opioid epidemic on December 4, 2016. In the wake of this loss, Debbie founded The Hunter Dalton #HDLife Foundation. The organization provides education about the dangers of recreational drugs and resources to prevent drug usage and find treatment and support to help prevent more people from losing their lives to overdoses.
A full list of 2018 Dogwood Award Recipients is below:
- Jim Albright, Director, Guilford County Emergency Services, Greensboro
- Asa Buck, Carteret County Sheriff, Beaufort
- Mike Cannon, co-founder of JCANS, Wilson
- Becky Cannon, co-founder of JCANS, Wilson
- J.H Corpening, Chief District Court Judge, 5th Judicial District, Wilmington
- Debbie Dalton, founder of The Hunter Dalton #HDLife Foundation, Cornelius
- Bill Hollingsed, Chief of Police, Waynesville Police Department, Waynesville
- Monika Johnson-Hostler, Executive Director, North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Raleigh
- William Lassiter, Deputy Commissioner of Juvenile Justice, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Raleigh
- Bradley Letts, Superior Court Judge, 30B Judicial District, North Carolina Superior Court, Waynesville
- Spencer Merriweather, District Attorney, Mecklenburg County, Charlotte
- Kenneth Shultz, Chief of Police, High Point Police Department, High Point
- John Somerindyke, Lieutenant, Fayetteville Police Department, Fayetteville
- Kurtis Stewart, Board Chair of the New Bern Area of Improvement, New Bern/Durham
- Nicole Sullivan, Director, Reentry, Programs and Services, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Raleigh
- Meade Horton Van Pelt, Executive Director, The Harrelson Center, Wilmington
A video of today’s award ceremony can be found at www.facebook.com/ncdoj
Contact:
Laura Brewer (919) 716-6484