Police arrest unpermitted "counter-protesters" at No Kings | Durham sheriff gives "pants-on-fire" testimony on ICE cooperation | DEI grant wrongly flagged by ChatGPT?
No. 169 — Mar. 22-Mar. 28, 2026
ChatGPT flagged a grant for digitizing records at NC Central University as relating to DEI as part of Trump’s DOGE cuts, but was it entirely wrong?
An anonymous tipster says that Harnett County Schools put a teacher back in the classroom despite her on-campus marijuana use, she’s now facing drug and weapon charges.
The Durham sheriff was called to testify before Congress about his approach to immigration enforcement, a Louisiana Senator was not satisfied with the honesty of his responses
A suspect has been identified by Durham Police in the recent fatal greenway stabbing, it just so happens to be a repeat violent offender
The grad student accused of fatally shooting a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2023 has been found competent to stand trial, after previously having been found incompetent due to schizophrenic symptoms.
A nationwide No Kings protest attracted thousands demonstrators at 14 locations across the Triangle, but one elderly Harnett Co. man found his face smashed into the ground after Lillington Police determined he was part of an unpermitted counter-protest, with his pastor being charged as well.
DOGE used ChatGPT to flag an NCCU grant as DEI, was it mistaken?
DOGE canceled a grant to NC Central. It used ChatGPT to make the decision - N&O
DOGE Used AI to Cancel HBCU Grant - HBCU Gameday
How DOGE Gutted the NEH in 22 Days — Inside Higher Ed - Inside Higher Ed
When DOGE Unleashed ChatGPT on the Humanities - New York Times
Former DOGE staffer says ChatGPT helped feds cancel grants mentioning ‘LGBTQ+’ - The Advocate
An $89k grant for digitizing and making educational material out of material from the archives of the North Carolina Central University was one of the grants selected for cancellation by Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative after being identified by ChatGPT as “relat[ing]” to DEI, according to discovery in a lawsuit brought against the Trump administration over the cuts.
The following is one of over a thousand queries fed into the large language model to help identify which of the taxpayer/debt funded grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities were being used to promote leftist activism such as the now infamous “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”:
Does the following relate at all to DEI? Respond factually in less than 120 characters. Begin with ‘Yes.’ or ‘No.’ followed by a brief explanation. Do not use ‘this initiative’ or ‘this description’ in your response.Faculty and staff from Humanities disciplines within the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities at North Carolina Central University will form a cohort to participate in a two-year project (2022-2024) that uses the NCCU materials at Digital NC (especially the newspapers and yearbooks) and the materials in the NCCU Archives to develop teaching materials to be implemented in their courses. In the first year, we will coordinate with the Digital Humanities Research Institute at CUNY for workshop materials and instructors who would be willing to run a week of workshops. After the workshop, faculty members will be expected to create and implement course modules using this digital archival material. In the second year, faculty members will participate in a symposium discussing their results and will engage with other faculty members in their disciplines as well as the greater university community and the citizens of Durham, NC.
And ChatGPT’s answer:
Yes. This initiative focuses on utilizing digital archival material to develop teaching materials and engage with the university community and citizens, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Now perhaps ChatGPT’s line of analysis was incorrect, but was the characterization of this as a “DEI” grant entirely inaccurate?
As to the two NCCU English professors who were awarded the grant, Kathryn Wymer uses her position to pursue her interests in “gender studies” and “queer theory” while Rachelle Gold has taught various woke-style topics as well as published research into such topics as “Bearing Witness: Innovations in Teaching Trauma Literature at an Historically Black University” and “menstrual equity.”
Perhaps leftist activist professors are merely a representative sample of the involved institutions, which alone might cast the grant into question, but the questionable political activist motivation is not lacking from the grantor.
According to NCCU’s announcement, the grant was part of a program by the National Endowment for the Humanities to to fund “Humanities Initiatives” at Historically Black Colleges and Universities like NCCU, which was founded as the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua for the Colored Race in 1910.
If the true motivation of the grant was merely to preserve history, and not pursue a leftist activist agenda, why wasn’t it available to any college or university with a similar 100+ year history, regardless of the historical (and current) racial composition of its students?
The federal lawsuit, brought in the Southern District of New York, argues that it is unconstitutional “viewpoint discrimination” for the federal government to put the brakes on the $6+ billion distributed by the NEH over the course of its existence, much of which went to organizations promoting progressive and leftist agendas.
(In the case of this particular NCCU grant, most of $89,110 had already been spent, leaving only $5,977 in taxpayer savings by its cancellation.)
“Her classroom reeked of marijuana:” Harnett Co. teacher charged with drug, weapon possession
Harnett County high school teacher charged with intent to sell marijuana near campus - WRAL
Harnett County Teacher Jailed On Multiple Charges - JoCo Report
Harnett County high school teacher charged with selling marijuana near campus - CBS17
Harnett County deputies arrested Overhills High School math teacher Jocelyn Lee McArthur, 33, on March 27 after the sheriff’s office received a tip that she was in possession of illegal substances on campus.
The arrest warrant states McArthur possessed marijuana with intent to “manufacture, sell or deliver” it within 100 feet of the boundary of her place of employment at OHS (a school zone enhancement that elevates the severity of the charge under N.C.G.S. 90-95(e)(8)).
“She reeked of marijuana every single day, her classroom reeked of marijuana every single day,” the anonymous coworker told WRAL “This is nothing new. This has been an ongoing situation.” The same source alleged that a former Overhills principal tried to terminate McArthur twice, only to have the county office send her back to the classroom each time.
In addition to charges relating to the possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, McArthur is also charged with possession of a stun gun/taser on the school property.
McArthur faces four charges: possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver on or near a school, simple possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a weapon on educational property (not a firearm). She is being held at the Harnett County Detention Center under a $102,000 secured bond.
“Pants-on-fire:” anti-ICE Durham sheriff denies “sanctuary” label
Durham Sheriff Clarence Birkhead testifies on immigration enforcement in DC hearing - CBS17
Durham Sheriff Clarence Birkhead defends policies in testimony before Congress - ABC11
Hearing held on constitutional protections, limitations against sanctuary policies - The Center Square
Durham sheriff tells US Senate: Local police shouldn’t be immigration enforcement - N&O
“Do you need some water? ‘Cause I think your pants are on fire.”
That’s what Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) had to say to Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead regarding his prevarication before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution regarding his lack of cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities.
Birkhead testified that “Durham County is not a sanctuary county,” yet when pressed on his previous anti-ICE statements, including the fact that he campaigned in 2018 on an “uncompromising commitment to not cooperate with ICE,” Birkhead admitted that he refuses any cooperation with ICE that is not explicitly mandated by law.
Although his testimony was that “anyone who violates federal or state law needs to be held accountable and there need to be consequences,” Birkhead also testified that “[didn’t] agree with targeting people without criminal records who pose no threat to public safety.”
Birkhead also referenced that he recently became co-chair of the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force, which advocates for policies with results virtually indistinguishable from the most radical open border communist, despite its framing as a “law and order” organization. (The website for this organization has recently been removed from the internet, but an archived copy from February reveals their anti-immigration enforcement principles.)
LEITF argues against enforcing immigration laws on the basis that illegal immigration is actually the fault of our current immigration system not making it easy enough for foreigners to flood into our country, despite figures showing a record-high level of foreign-born residents in America, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of the population.
Eight years of consistent anti-ICE policy
Birkhead’s anti-ICE stance has been clear dating back to 2018, when he defeated incumbent Sheriff Mike Andrews in the Democratic primary on a platform of ending ICE cooperation, as documented in a contemporary article in the left-wing INDY Week: “Durham County’s Friendly Relationship With ICE Could Hinge on Its Sheriff’s Reelection Bid.”
Within a week of implementing his promised policy of ending compliance with ICE detainer requests, eleven people were released from the Durham jail whom ICE would have previously been allowed to take into custody, according to follow-up reporting by INDY on Birkhead’s first 100 days in office.
(The GOP-controlled General Assembly has taken away the discretion of sheriffs to refuse compliance with ICE detainer requests, in a bill which Birkhead described as an “attack on the immigrant community.”)
In January 2025, Birkhead “reiterated he doesn’t cooperate with federal immigration detainer requests” in a forum organized by local Hispanic activist organization Respuesta Rápida de Durham aka Rapid Response Durham. According to reporting by WUNC, “Birkhead said he’ll follow the law, but that he won’t notify ICE if an issued detainer is about to expire and a person is about to be legally released from jail.”
Birkhead justified his position in the hearing on the basis that “it was not state law” at the time to require sheriffs notify ICE when the jail was making an inmate available for ICE pickup on the basis of a detainer request, a loophole which was remedied with HB-318 passed last year over the veto of Gov. Josh Stein.
Cooperation: a two-way street?
Despite his own refusal to participate in any way with immigration enforcement beyond the minimum required by law, Birkhead would prefer that ICE reach out to him when they are operating within the county.
Birkhead cited a positive example in which ICE did work with the sheriff’s office when they arranged to pick up an immigrant offender who was scheduled to appear at the Durham Courthouse.
Based on the few details given, this appears to be the same incident in which dozens of anti-ICE demonstrators including multiple elected Democrats showed up at an “emergency response” to the would-be detention of a convicted felon.
Although Birkhead may consider the instance to be successful collaboration, the criminal in question avoided ICE detention by skipping out on the court hearing.
Similarly, Orange County Sheriff recently described a similar instance of “cooperation” with ICE in which he briefed a leftist anti-ICE Hispanic organization on the situation, and the immigrant happened to stay home and avoid a planned ICE arrest on his way to work after the sheriff had requested that the operation not take place in the majority-Hispanic neighborhood in which the subject of the removal resided.
Relevant Coverage:
Durham officials “grossly inaccurate” in denying “sanctuary jurisdiction” label (No. 126 — May 31, 2025)
Durham activists respond to ICE activity at courthouse (No. 134 — Jul. 26, 2025)
Orange County candidates fight over who will oppose ICE the most (No. 164 — Feb. 21, 2026)
Follow-ups
Repeat violent criminal named as suspect in deadly American Tobacco Trail stabbing
Durham police search for wanted man after deadly stabbing on American Tobacco Trail - WRAL
Wanted man accused of murder on American Tobacco Trail - CBS17
Two weeks after Chesleigh Eloyd Lyons, 51, was found fatally stabbed near a section of the American Tobacco Trail known for violence, sexual harassment, and homeless encampments, the Durham Police have charged LaRue Barbee, 46, who remains at large.
In 2021, Barbee was arrested for charges including attempted first degree murder for near-deadly home invasion the prior September in which the 68-year-old victim was shot in the head, according to a public release by Durham Police.
However, these charges do not appear on the lengthy list of Barbee’s convictions maintained by the NC Department of Adult Corrections, which includes assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, selling controlled substances, etc.
Barbee was most recently released in December 2024 after being sentenced to 17-30 months for an armed robbery which took place on September 17, 2022. Few details about this crime appear to be available, other than that Barbee’s plea deal involved the District Attorney dropping a more serious charge of Assault With a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury.
Police say the attack was not random and that Lyons appears to have known his attacker, but no information appears to be available as to whether the suspect or the victim were associated with the homeless encampments reported by the public as being nearby the site of the murder.
Previous Coverage:
Man fatally stabbed on section of Durham greenway known for homeless, violence (No. 167 — Mar. 14, 2026)
Schizophrenic UNC Shooter ruled competent for trial
UNC grad student competent to stand trial, expected to plead not guilty by reason of insanity - WRAL
Accused UNC shooter found competent for trial, will use insanity defense in first-degree murder case - CBS17
Accused UNC shooter, Tailei Qi, found competent to stand trial - ABC11
UNC shooting suspect Tailei Qi found fit to stand trial, plans to plead insanity - Daily Tar Heel
The graduate student accused of murdering UNC Professor Zijie Yan in a 2023 shooting which sent the campus into lockdown over fears of an active shooter has been ruled competent to stand trial.
The trial for Tailei Qi, 37, was previously put on hold after a November 2023 ruling in which he was found incompetent due to schizophrenic symptoms such as auditory hallucinations and delusional thinking.
After questioning Qi through a Mandarin interpreter, Orange County Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour ruled that Qi was now able competent to the charges against him and participate in his own defense.
Qi faces a mandatory life sentence in prison if convicted; Qi’s lawyers plan to pursue a defense of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Under state law, a defendant found not guilty by reason of insanity must be committed to a state facility, but may be released after an indeterminate amount of time if it is found that he no longer has a mental illness or is no longer dangerous to others, according to legal analysis by a UNC law professor.
Previous Coverage:
UNC PhD student kills advisor on campus (No. 35 — Sep. 2, 2023)
$750,000 settlement over UNC professor’s 2023 on-campus murder (No. 134 — Jul. 26, 2025)
UNC unveils memorial for professor murdered by insane grad student (No. 139 — Aug. 30, 2025)
Protest Watch
No Kings
Police tackle retired cop in protest. Pastor also arrested - Daily Record
On Saturday, anti-Trump protesters gathered as part of at least 14 events across the counties of the Triangle Trumpet’s beat, with the largest gatherings numbering in the thousands.
The protests were generally as “peaceful” as a demonstration where participants call for French Revolution-style executions of their political opponents could be, with two exceptions that have come to light.
In Raleigh, a counter-protester was accused of a “hit-and-run” after demonstrators swarmed his vehicle (more on this later), and in Harnett County, Lillington Police charged two non-leftists with not being part of the licensed protests, one of whom being an 83-year-old former police officer left with a broken nose and torn ligaments when his arrest ended with him on the ground, according to the Daily Record.
Lill Thomas “Tommy” McNeill, 83, was charged with resisting a public officer, disorderly conduct, and protesting without a permit, while Cecil Everette McNeill, 56, was only charged with protesting without a permit.
According to Tommy McNeill, he was informed about the No Kings protest outside the Lillington Courthouse by his pastor Cecil McNeill, who also invited him to join in a counter protest.
However, when Tommy McNeill arrived, he was unable to find Cecil McNeill, and instead decided to “take a look at the signs displayed at the No Kings protest underway.” Tommy McNeill was asked to leave the permitted area of the protest and eventually did so, making his way to where Cecil McNeill was “holding a pro-Trump banner along a sidewalk a good distance away from the No Kings protest.”
However, police officers made their way over to where Cecil McNeill and a few others were gathered on the sidewalk, and told Tommy McNeill and his wife to leave the area of the “unpermitted” protest as well.
Tommy McNeill denied that he was protesting, and insisted that the officer arrest him if he had a problem with him remaining on a public sidewalk. However, when an officer attempted to put his hands behind his back and Tommy McNeill twisted away (which he claims was a reaction to the pain), the officer dragged Tommy McNeill to the ground leading to his nose being broken, ligaments in his arm being torn, and abrasions caused to his face.
Tommy McNeill was allowed to leave after receiving medical attention for his injuries, and was charged along with Cecil McNeill before a magistrate on Monday.
Tommy McNeill and Cecil McNeill were released on unsecured bonds of $2,500 each.
Attendance
The attendance of these events appears to be roughly similar to the last nationwide No Kings protest in October, with some locations seeing a larger crowd and some a smaller, according to my estimates based on images and videos of the various events, ranging from approximately 70 outside a nursing home in Raleigh to over 3,000 in Durham:
Apex: ~300-800
Cary: ~400-1000
Chapel Hill: ~2000-5000
Clayton: ~100-300
Durham: ~3000-4500
Lillington: ~100-300
Louisburg: ~100
Oxford: ~100
Pittsboro: ~300-800
Raleigh (Downtown): ~500-1500
Raleigh (North): ~200-500
Raleigh (Nursing Home): ~70
Sanford: ~150-300
Wake Forest: ~150-250
However, calculating a total number of participants in these events is made more complex by the fact that they were staggered throughout the day from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm, allowing the most dedicated demonstrators to attend multiple. For instance, one could begin at Apex at 9:30, continue to Capital Blvd. in North Raleigh at 11:00, rally downtown at the State Capitol at 1:00, head over to Cary at 2:00, and perhaps finish out in Chapel Hill at 3:45.
Its not mere supposition: that’s what at least one activist did, according to a Facebook comment screenshotted and provided to the Triangle Trumpet. The News & Observer confirmed as well, in a Facebook post reading “some people attended multiple rallies Saturday, going to one in Raleigh or Chapel Hill but also showing up for the one in their hometown.”
All in all, I’d estimate the total number of participants at between 6,000 and 16,000, perhaps slightly larger than the last No Kings rally, but not significantly so.
when will sherifs and towns face consequences for not following laws?!