Purgatory Behind Bars
Kallie Cox
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The Charlotte Observer
A screenshot of a graphic produced by the McClatchy graphics team for The Charlotte Observer website.
This investigation led to the publication of "Purgatory behind bars," a 4-part news series examining how a cold case murder devolved into a man's decade-long purgatory in jail, mental health hospitals, and court.
The series unveiled a shocking revelation: a single-word loophole in state legislation permits the indefinite detention of individuals with mental health challenges in North Carolina before they even face trial. And it exposed the limited recourse available to their lawyers in combating this injustice.
Chapter 1: He’s spent 11 years in jail — and no one knows if he’s guilty
It talks about some of Perkins’ experiences in jail including how he has been evaluated again and again by psychiatrists, most of whom say the same thing: He’s not capable of standing trial to determine if he’s guilty of murder.
Chapter 2: ‘Make sure he fries.’ Unsolved for years, a Charlotte murder case turns cold in court.
Chapter 2 focuses on the crime Perkins’ is accused of that left a 20-year-old dead and two families devastated.
Chapter 3: ‘Tell them I didn’t do it.’ The voices in Devalos Perkins’ head destroy chances for trial.
This chapter follows the downward spiral of Perkins’ mental health. It also shows how a broken system for defendants who are incapable to proceed has kept him shuffling between hospital beds and jail bunks for over a decade.
Chapter 4: Imprisoned —— with no conviction? How one word in NC law traps mentally-ill defendants.
The final chapter explains how one word in a now defunct state law may keep Perkins behind bars without a conviction for years.
This is purgatory
To promote the project I collaborated with multimedia journalist Makayla Holder, to produce this promotional video.
