A Salisbury mother questions the justice system after her son’s alleged killer had 76 prior convictions.
SALISBURY, N.C. — A grieving Salisbury mother is questioning the justice system after her son was killed allegedly by a man with dozens of prior convictions.
Dawson Oliver had just celebrated his 22nd birthday in February when he was killed four days later in a deadly crash.
“It has been crippling and completely detrimental to my family. He was such an amazing kid,” said Billie Sanders, Oliver’s mother.
Sanders joins numerous parents who have lost children to violent crimes committed by individuals with extensive criminal histories who had been released from custody.
“He hasn’t learned. He has like 76 prior convictions,” Sanders said of the suspect.
While Sanders said she believes in second chances, she emphasized the importance of accountability, especially given the suspect’s lengthy record.
“There were 76 prior convictions and 76 different chances to remove him off the streets,” she said.
Attorney Mark Jetton of the law firm Jetton and Meredith explained that pretrial release decisions involve multiple considerations.
“Two of the overarching big factors are whether or not the person is a danger to society and flight risk,” Jetton said.
He added that other factors can include prison overcrowding and public opinion, noting that “it’s certainly a case-by-case basis and it has to be looked into and evaluated.”
For Sanders, the consequences of these judicial decisions will follow her for the rest of her life as she copes with her son’s death.
“I just want justice for my kid, that’s it,” Sanders said.
The case remains under investigation. Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or details about pending charges.