DA Merriweather and his family live in Charlotte. He is a member of St. Peter Catholic Church.

About the DA

Spencer Merriweather lives in Charlotte with his family and is a member of St. Peter Catholic Church.

DA Merriweather earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 and received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University.

Prior to becoming District Attorney, he gained more than a decade of prosecutorial experience, serving in a variety of roles as an Assistant District Attorney at the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office. He sought justice for victims’ families as a homicide prosecutor. He supervised the Habitual Felon Team, and he served as a senior sexual assault prosecutor.

Spencer Merriweather previously served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office, including as a homicide prosecutor and senior sexual assault prosecutor.

DA Merriweather was appointed by N.C. Governor Roy Cooper to serve as District Attorney after the previous District Attorney vacated the seat to become U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. DA Merriweather was sworn into office on November 27, 2017, and he was subsequently elected in 2018 by the people of Mecklenburg County to continue serving in this post.

Merriweather (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for North Carolina 26th Prosecutorial District Attorney. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Spencer Merriweather

Spencer was appointed district attorney in 2017 to fill a vacancy. He was elected by Mecklenburg County voters in 2018 and won reelection as district attorney for North Carolina’s 26th Prosecutorial District in 2022.

Spencer Merriweather - Ballotpedia

2026 North Carolina General Election

Served as a homicide prosecutor, supervised the Habitual Felon Team, and served as a senior sexual assault prosecutor.

Has served as District Attorney for North Carolina’s 26th Prosecutorial District since being appointed in 2017.

As District Attorney for North Carolina’s 26th Prosecutorial District, he is Mecklenburg County’s chief prosecutor, filing criminal charges, directing investigations, prosecuting court cases, and supporting victims.

Served for more than a decade as an Assistant District Attorney in Mecklenburg County.

Served for more than a decade as an Assistant District Attorney in Mecklenburg County, working as a homicide prosecutor and senior sexual assault prosecutor.

- As District Attorney for North Carolina’s 26th Prosecutorial District, he is Mecklenburg County’s chief prosecutor, filing criminal charges, directing investigations, prosecuting court cases, and supporting victims.
- Served for more than a decade as an Assistant District Attorney in Mecklenburg County, working as a homicide prosecutor and senior sexual assault prosecutor.

Legal Experience

During his tenure as Mecklenburg County’s chief prosecutor, DA Merriweather has prioritized the prosecution of dangerous offenses by establishing and later expanding the Violent Crimes Team. He also created the Special Victims Team, a trauma-informed unit that works to seek justice for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault and human trafficking. DA Merriweather removed financial barriers that prevented some defendants from participating in deferred prosecution programs, and he broadened referrals to treatment court programs.

“Both violent crime and quality of life crime committed by repeat offenders have been the focus of our attention Uptown and our Entertainment District,” stated Spencer Merriweather, Mecklenburg County District Attorney. “It's the reason why we have devoted increased attention and trial time to crimes that have been the focus of CMPD's CROWN Initiative. And we now have prosecutors who have been specifically assigned to focus on repeat offenders in this district.
This is a model that can and will be replicated in neighborhoods across the county.”

CMPD Launches New Multi-Agency Safety Initiative - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

# Pretrial Release and Bail
The District Attorney’s Office works to achieve both equity and community safety. As we consider whether to ask for a criminal defendant to be held in pretrial custody, we believe defendants accused of low-level crimes should not be kept in jail simply because they are poor.

But when faced with a defendant who evidence shows has committed a crime of violence and is a threat to the community, the public should have the expectation that our prosecutors are arguing before a judge to keep that person in custody to protect the community from further harm.

Pretrial Release and Bail – District Attorney's Office

District Attorney Spencer Merriweather was part of a workgroup of local court officials who developed a Mecklenburg County bail policy, which established an intentional approach to pretrial release determinations.

Nevertheless, DA Merriweather believes money should not be the determining factor when considering pretrial custody status.

He is a proponent of preventative detention, a policy that would allow judges making pretrial release decisions the ability to ask one simple question: Should this defendant be released or detained?

Just as a defendant accused of a low-level offense should not be kept in custody simply because he cannot afford bail, a potentially dangerous defendant should not be able to buy his way out of custody.

This makes preventative detention, which is utilized in federal courts and in an increasing number of states, a more equitable option.

Enacting such measures would require legislative changes by the N.C. General Assembly, and DA Merriweather continues to advocate for this reform.

00:05:58 We believe that Iryna's Law built upon the successes of the Pretrial Integrity Act. We believe that this is what the community expects from us—that if someone goes out and both commits a violent act or commits an act repeatedly, that those persons remain in custody until their trial. I believe that's a good thing.

2026 0209 transcript

Mr. Merriweather: 00:04:17 I can tell you what we have already done, sir, in the last four years. Four years ago, we were at a place where there were over 400 homicides that were pending. We have reduced that by 100, even though the number of homicides has actually gone up, continued to rise significantly. We had 120 homicides that were filed just last year. Right now, we are under 300 as far as our homicide backlog.

As you know, homicides are not the only cases in Charlotte that need to be tried. And so, we have focused on reorganization. As a matter of fact, we've tried to hit hotspots. We've collaborated with law enforcement in particular neighborhoods to make sure that there is a seamless connection between what the strategies of law enforcement are, what our community—both business and residential community—needs as well as what the prosecutors in our office can do for them. That's how you build good cases, and that's how you convict the guilty.

As district attorney, established and expanded a Violent Crimes Team to prioritize prosecution of dangerous offenses.

Spencer B. Merriweather III, who has dedicated his career to public service, has served as District Attorney since 2017.

During his tenure as Mecklenburg County’s chief prosecutor, DA Merriweather has prioritized the prosecution of dangerous offenses by establishing and later expanding the Violent Crimes Team. He also created the Special Victims Team, a trauma-informed unit that works to seek justice for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault and human trafficking. DA Merriweather removed financial barriers that prevented some defendants from participating in deferred prosecution programs, and he broadened referrals to treatment court programs.

As district attorney, removed financial barriers to deferred-prosecution programs and expanded referrals to treatment courts.

Claims to have removed financial barriers to deferred-prosecution programs and expanded referrals to treatment courts as District Attorney.

As district attorney, created a trauma-informed Special Victims Team for domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking cases.

Has assigned prosecutors and increased trial time to focus on repeat offenders, and intends to replicate the approach countywide.

Advocates pretrial decisions based on risk rather than wealth, including preventive detention for defendants who pose a danger to the community.

Believes people who commit violent acts or repeated offenses should remain in custody until trial.

Collaborates with law enforcement in neighborhood hotspots to align enforcement strategies with community needs and prosecution efforts.

- Claims to have removed financial barriers to deferred-prosecution programs and expanded referrals to treatment courts as District Attorney.
- As district attorney, created a trauma-informed Special Victims Team for domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking cases.
- Has assigned prosecutors and increased trial time to focus on repeat offenders, and intends to replicate the approach countywide.
- Advocates pretrial decisions based on risk rather than wealth, including preventive detention for defendants who pose a danger to the community.
- Believes people who commit violent acts or repeated offenses should remain in custody until trial.
- Collaborates with law enforcement in neighborhood hotspots to align enforcement strategies with community needs and prosecution efforts.

Public Safety

As of January 5, 2026, Spencer Merriweather’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Consumer Protection

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- Advocates pretrial decisions based on risk rather than wealth, including preventive detention for defendants who pose a danger to the community.
- Believes people who commit violent acts or repeated offenses should remain in custody until trial.
- Collaborates with law enforcement in neighborhood hotspots to align enforcement strategies with community needs and prosecution efforts.

Spencer Merriweather is from Mobile, Alabama. He has a bachelor 27s degree from Princeton University and a law degree from the University of North Carolina. He lives in Charlotte and is a member of St. Peter Catholic Church.

Meet Spencer Merriweather, Mecklenburg County DA And A ...

About the DA – District Attorney's Office

Spencer is the district attorney for Mecklenburg County. Before taking office in 2017, he worked as an assistant district attorney in the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office for more than a decade. 

Prosecutorial District 26 - North Carolina Conference of District ...

Spencer is currently the district attorney for North Carolina's 26th prosecutorial district. He was appointed to this position in November 2017 and subsequently elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.

Believes reducing illegal gun possession will help prevent families from losing loved ones.

Supports providing treatment for individuals with drug possession charges.

Supports the creation of a Family Justice Center in Mecklenburg County to provide comprehensive services for victims and their families.

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Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

- The district attorney prosecutes all criminal cases filed in District and Superior Courts.
- They advise local law enforcement on which cases to pursue and how to collect proper evidence for those cases.
- The district attorney may institute court proceedings on behalf of the State, its agencies, or its citizens in any and all public interest matters. This means they play an important role in keeping the public safe.
The district attorney is elected for a four-year term in partisan elections. 

Prosecutes criminal cases and represents the state in local courts. 