Ex-Duke football murder suspect keeps returning home after arrests thanks to soft-on-crime judges: police rep

A erstwhile Duke University shot subordinate who allegedly confessed to sidesplitting his erstwhile precocious schoolhouse person and Charlotte, North Carolina, existent property cause Whitney Hurd, was arrested and released 4 abstracted times betwixt Hurd's decease successful July 2024 and his apprehension for execution successful March.

Police recovered Hurd, 32, dormant with aggregate stab wounds successful her townhome successful Charlotte's upscale South Park vicinity connected July 14 of past twelvemonth portion responding to a telephone for aesculapian assistance that afternoon. Her mode of decease was ruled a homicide.

Court records amusement that Brandon Braxton, 33, was arrested and released connected unrelated charges 4 times for charges including wounded to existent property, elemental assault, larceny, trespassing, resisting a nationalist officer, indecent vulnerability and battle connected a pistillate earlier helium was yet charged with execution and robbery with a unsafe limb connected March 20. 

Just months aft Hurd's death, Braxton allegedly exposed himself to a unfortunate successful a nationalist Charlotte parkland and attempted to drawback a woman's shorts, according to tribunal records. He spent 31 minutes successful jailhouse for the incidental vulnerability charge, records show.

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Former Duke shot subordinate Brandon Braxton allegedly confessed to sidesplitting Hurd. (Mecklenburg County Jail)

"This is thing new, and it isn’t astonishing successful this case," Charlotte Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Daniel Redford told Fox News Digital. 

"It highlights the frustrations that we person each spoken about."

Redford noted, however, that authorities whitethorn not person had capable accusation to complaint Braxton with execution successful the Hurd lawsuit to support him successful jailhouse connected his aggregate different charges aft she was recovered dead. 

Brandon Braxton was arrested and released 4 times aft Whitney Hurd's murder. (Mecklenburg County)

But connected March 3 of this year, Braxton allegedly submitted a written grievance to Mecklenburg County jailhouse officials, stating: "I killed Whitney Hurd," the affidavit states.

Hurd's neighbour seemingly saw a antheral driving her achromatic BMW distant from her location connected the day of July 4, 2024, and determination was cipher successful the rider seat. The neighbour advised constabulary that Hurd ne'er fto anyone other thrust her vehicle, according to an affidavit.

An indictment filed connected March 31 alleges that Braxton stole Hurd's BMW and cellphone "by means of assault" against Hurd with a knife.

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Whitney Hurd, 32, was recovered murdered successful her Charlotte townhome connected July 14, 2024. (Instagram)

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) obtained a hunt warrant for Hurd's telephone and received her past known determination data, which led detectives to her vehicle, which was collected and processed arsenic evidence. Detectives were incapable to find her phone, but the lawsuit was inactive wrong the vehicle.

Fingerprints from Hurd's conveyance were collected and processed, placing Braxton wrong her conveyance and residence.

"I telephone it an open-door policy. Some radical telephone it a revolving door. … You perpetrate a crime, you get arrested, you're backmost out."

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Redford called Braxton's 4 arrests and releases aft Hurd's execution "very concerning," saying his grounds indicates a "progression of expanding what crimes helium was committing." He noted that definite Mecklenburg County judges instrumentality a much progressive attack to transgression justice, releasing definite convulsive transgression suspects connected debased enslaved oregon without bond.

Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Brandon Braxton (5) looks for moving country against Stanford Cardinal information Michael Thomas (3) during the archetypal fractional astatine Wallace Wade Stadium.   (Mark Dolejs-US PRESSWIRE)

In June 2024, for example, a Rock Hill execution and rape fishy named Raphael Wright was released connected $50,000 bond, starring constabulary and the victim's household to dependable their concerns. A justice yet raised his enslaved to $850,000 a period later, and Wright was again detained.

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden told Fox News Digital that his bureau "lacks the authorization to merchandise individuals without a judge’s order."

"Consequently, we person nary engagement successful determining how, erstwhile oregon wherefore someone’s merchandise nor the magnitude of their bonds, oregon the conditions of their release," McFadden said successful an emailed statement. "The Sheriff’s Office is solely liable for the custody and attraction of individuals. The factors and reasons for their merchandise are solely determined by the due authorities which is the magistrate oregon a judge."

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Duke Blue Devils moving backmost Josh Snead (9) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Brandon Braxton (5) during the archetypal 4th against the Texas A&M Aggies successful the 2013 Chick-fil-A Bowl astatine the Georgia Dome.  (Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports)

The Mecklenburg District Attorney's Office did not respond to an enquiry from Fox News Digital.

Braxton's lawyer said helium volition not beryllium commenting publically connected the substance astatine this time.

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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said the lawsuit is inactive an progressive and ongoing investigation, and the section is incapable to supply further remark astatine this time.

Mecklenburg County's existent bail policy, successful general, is to let suspects accused of insignificant crimes to beryllium released from custody.

McFadden directed Fox News Digital to a caller survey from MDRC's Center for Criminal Justice Research showing the county's bail policies led to accrued merchandise rates but nary important summation successful defendants' failures to look successful tribunal oregon successful caller transgression charges filed against the aforesaid defendants.