A congressional field hearing held in Charlotte Monday morning turned emotional as families of violent crime victims shared painful stories and lawmakers clashed over how to reduce crime in communities.
MORE | Debate over policy vs. funding dominates violent crime hearing in Charlotte
CMPD Officer Justin Campbell was one of the few who spoke out about repeated offenders and public safety. Campbell was one of the several officers injured during the April 2024 officer-involved shooting in Charlotte’s Shannon Park neighborhood.
On April 29, U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrived at a home on Galway Drive to serve a warrant to 39-year-old Terry Hughes, wanted for felony gun possession out of Lincoln County. As officers approached the residence, Hughes opened fire without warning.
Four law enforcement officers were killed, and five others were hurt. Campbell, who was hired by the department in June 2020, sustained injuries that led to a broken foot. During his speech, he says that as a result of his injuries, he had to have his foot amputated.
“During the process of extraditing the officers, I ended up breaking my foot, which resulted in me being diagnosed with regional complex pain syndrome. It’s a miserable diagnosis that led to the amputation of my right foot,” Campbell says. “I’ll no longer, ever, be where I was prior to that day.”
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Campbell held up Hughes’ entire rap sheet, showing his numerous arrests dating back to 2009, when Hughes allegedly burglarized a home with a stolen firearm.
“After he was taken to jail, he was released, where he can — where he can,” Hughes takes a breath. “Where he committed multiple other offenses prior to him going to prison.”
Campbell chokes back tears as he continues going through Hughes’ lengthy crime history.
“Why is it that we take people who commit these heinous crimes and we do not hold them accountable for their actions? We sit there and we try to give it a reason — as a mental health issue or some other type of issue that realistically doesn’t take blame,” Campbell asks.
Officer Campbell says that, firsthand, Mecklenburg County’s judicial system is “trash.”
“The magistrate system here has no idea what they’re doing,” Campbell adds. “This cashless bail system is a joke. I believe in my heart that if you commit a crime against another person, violently, that you should not have a bond. You should sit in jail until your time comes.”
Campbell ends his speech by asking the judiciary subcommittee to think about the potential future victims because “there will be more” if changes aren’t made.
“At what point do we hold them accountable for their actions and stop playing this political circus game?” Campbell concludes.
New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee, thanks Campbell for his testimony, saying, “We’re sick and tired and disgusted, and we’re gonna keep pushing on this and speaking out. It’s time to do the right thing.”
Watch the briefing below:
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