The 2024 Spring Public Defender Conference, held in Winston-Salem, was a great success. Several awards were presented on the first day as Indigent Defense Services, the UNC School of Government and the North Carolina Association of Public Defenders (NCAPD) welcomed defenders from all over North Carolina for celebration, CLE and fellowship amongst professionals.
This year, North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby presented his annual “Award for Professionalism,” accompanied by a $250 check and lapel pin, to James Taplie Coile, Defender District 3, Pitt County. His family surprised him by being present for the special moment.
The North Carolina Association of Public Defenders (NCAPD) named two outstandingrecipients this year for the “Wally C. Harrelson Public Defender Award for Excellence” because the award committee was deadlocked between the two finalists. This year’s recipients were Dan Shatz from the Office of the Appellate Defender, and Michael G. Howell, Defender District 10, Wake County.
IDS Commissioner Caitlin Fenhagen awarded this year’s “Professor John Rubin Award for Extraordinary Contributions to Indigent Training Programs” to David W. Andrews. David works in the Office of the Appellate Defender in Durham.
And this year, the “James C. Williams Award for Promoting Racial Equity” was presented to Caitlin Fenhagen. IDS Commissioner Fenhagen was lured to the conference under the impression she was there (only) to present the John Rubin award.
Outgoing NCAPD President Dawn Baxton invited all conference attendees to save the date for June 19, 2024. All were invited to register for and attend the second annual “Honoring Juneteenth in Our Courts” event. “Hopefully and eventually, the state of North Carolina will catch on and recognize that June 19 should not be a day of business as usual,” she said.
Finally, new officers for the NCAPD were elected. They are:
Deonté Thomas, President
Woodrena Baker-Harrell, Vice President
Laura Gibson, Secretary
James Freeman, Treasurer
