By Catherine M. Welch
Wilmington, NC – A revised indictment out of the clerk of courts office shows the foreman of the grand jury checked the wrong box when issuing an indictment of second-degree murder against a former New Hanover County Deputy.
Documents attached to the revised indictment show members of the grand jury called the foreman Monday night after watching media reports that former New Hanover County deputy Christopher Long had been indicted on second-degree murder.
The foreman reviewed the true bill of indictment yesterday and saw that he checked the wrong box.
It is not known at this point whether Long will be indicted on other charges.
Long's attorney Michael McGuiness says his client was not totally shocked by this turn of events.
He's doing better, it's been a very traumatic experience for him and his family and in fact the entire law enforcement community.
On December first Long provided cover so UNCW police officers could serve suspect Peyton Strickland with a warrant for the robbery of a pair of PlayStation 3 game systems, when Strickland was shot and killed inside the doorway of his Wilmington home.
In a released statement Strickland's family said they were quote: "upset, confused and searching for answers."