GJ's in NC indict based only on probable cause....not a very high burden, thus pretty automatic.
Interesting someone told you the relatively swift arrest was due to extradition circumstances.
Right, but the for instance that was presented to me was an attempted rape case where the person who was alleging the attempt had changed her story.
There was no DNA, there was no interview of the other person, there were no witnesses of any kind. There were only her words in a police report.
The last page of the police report said: Closed/Unfounded. Four months later, same evidence, the charge was reopened by an ADA and TB'd. The basis for the Grand Jury indictment was the first two pages of the police report and the limited questioning of the complaining witness.
The charge was a mess and cost a lot of money to defend, but was a poor choice by an ADA who admitted "they had not interviewed anyone but the witness" (Including the detectives who consulted with the DA's office and a magistrate before kicking the charge the first time) Also a CPD case, btw.
That having been said, these are at least decent ADAs (Even Cummings for the haters out there) and I hope they are playing "save the best for last" and will have some awesome stuff in the wrap-up. They have what, a week or two left? Should be interesting to watch.
Also, NC uses the GJ in PLACE of the Probable cause hearing, not POST-PC, like most places. And it is largely a prosecution tool. I got the impression it is rarely abused, but that some things get stuck in front of it to move the case along.