Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced on Mar. 26 that the North Carolina Supreme Court upheld a robbery conviction in the case of State v. Perry, following oral arguments he delivered before the court in September.
The outcome is significant because it addresses how criminal convictions are determined when a victim cannot identify their assailant due to being rendered unconscious. “Attorneys general almost never argue cases themselves, but I wanted to argue this case because of the consequences it would have for public safety,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “I’m grateful that the Court agreed with the state that we can’t give criminals an incentive to be more violent.”
The North Carolina Department of Justice defends criminal convictions obtained by local district attorneys during appeals and handled over 500 such cases in appellate courts in 2025. In this instance, Cabarrus County District Attorney Ashlie Shanley prosecuted Damarlo Perry, who was convicted by a jury for violently assaulting Damon Scott and robbing him while he was unconscious in May 2021. Although Perry’s robbery conviction was initially overturned on appeal, Jackson argued before the Supreme Court that jurors could reasonably conclude Perry committed both acts.
The Supreme Court agreed with Jackson’s position, stating: “considering the evidence as a whole and affording the State the benefit of all reasonable inferences, the State presented sufficient evidence that defendant, or someone acting in concert with defendant, took Scott’s property.”
The North Carolina State Executive Attorney General aims to prevent crime, assist law enforcement, protect consumers and defend residents’ rights according to its official website. The office provides services including legal representation for state agencies and criminal prosecution support according to its official website, extending across all of North Carolina.
As head of this office according to its official website, Jackson exercises authority representing state agencies and prosecuting criminal appeals according to its official website. The agency handles legal matters on behalf of North Carolina government according to its official website.
A video recording of Attorney General Jackson’s oral argument and a copy of the court opinion are available online.
