Death penalty upheld, new trial denied for killer

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A judge has denied a new trial for a convicted killer who was sentenced to die for his crimes.

The New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office says this week Judge Jack Hooks denied Shan Carter’s Motion for Appropriate Relief.

At a hearing in May, Carter, who is on death row for three murders, asked for a new trial of the 1996 murder of Donald Brunson, because they say new DNA tests exclude Carter from DNA on some of the evidence.

The DA’s office says the judge, in a detailed, 10-page order, Judge Hooks rejected all of Carter’s claims.

“Shan Carter was convicted by two different New Hanover County juries of killing three people, including a completely innocent child,” DA Ben David said in a news release. “The juries’ two death sentences were appropriate nearly 15 years ago when I tried these cases and they are still appropriate today. We thank Judge Hooks for upholding the juries’ verdicts and insuring that Shan Carter remains on death row.”

In May, David said Carter was not trying to prove innocence, but trying to get life without parole instead of the death sentence.