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Court workers take down portrait of former NC chief justice

The North Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday removed a portrait of a former chief justice from its courtroom who staunchly defended slavery and owned slaves himself.

Thomas Ruffin, a slave owner in the 1800s, believed an owner's power over his slave was absolute. He once wrote in a court ruling that slaveholders should not be convicted for the assault or battery of an enslaved person.

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The court's decision to remove the portrait took note of Ruffin's slave ownership and his rulings defending slavery. Its announcement said Ruffin was regarded by his contemporaries as “particularly brutal in his ownership of slaves.”

The decision followed a recommendation made last week by the Advisory Commission on Portraits, which the court formed in 2018 in response to calls for the portrait's removal.

A smaller portrait of Ruffin was removed from an Orange County courthouse earlier this year, as was a statue of him from the entrance of the state Court of Appeals building. The appeals building was once named after him.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Board of Trustees voted in July to remove references to Ruffin from the campus. But the name Ruffin Residence Hall remains in honor of his son, Thomas Ruffin Jr., who also was a Supreme Court justice.

Outgoing state Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley said in a statement that a Supreme Court seal will replace Ruffin’s portrait in the court. Beasley is the second Black chief justice in the court's history.

“It is important that our courtroom spaces convey the highest ideals of justice and that people who come before our Court feel comfortable knowing that they will be treated fairly,” Beasley wrote. She called the decision to remove the portrait “a tremendous reflection of the progress that has been made since the time Chief Justice Ruffin served on the Court.”

Ruffin served on the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1829 to 1852 and again from 1858 to 1859. He wrote an opinion that overturned the conviction of a slave owner, John Mann, for shooting in the back a slave named Lydia who fled after refusing the owner’s orders. Ruffin wrote that a slave’s obedience “is the consequence only of uncontrolled authority over the body.”

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RALEIGH, N.C. -- For nearly every player on the NC State roster, the morning starts the exact same way -- running by the "OG."

That's the nickname for Ruffin McNeill, who has now been a member of the NC State coaching staff for more than two years. Since the day he was hired on July 7, 2020, McNeill has been a light for the program in his role as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach in every tangible way possible.

While there are several things he's not allowed to do in his advisory role, the "OG" has a special bond with the entire team that can be seen every time they run out onto the practice field. In the most recent episode of NC State All-Access on the ACC Network, McNeill could be seen in his golf cart being hugged by veteran players like Isaiah Moore and true freshman Torren Wright.

There is no relationship too big or too small for McNeill, and that's what made him want to come to Raleigh in the first place to work under Dave Doeren.

"I work straight with coach Doeren, but also with the players," McNeill told Pack Pride. "They stop by and talk and have conversations and they ask me about the shared experiences that I've been able to be a part of. ... We have a great relationship that's built on trust and verification of trust. I know the coaches and coach Doeren trust me, but they verify my trust.

"And just as importantly with the players, we have trust and a verification of trust. They know if they come and visit me that I'm gonna tell them the absolute truth. When they come to me for answers or suggestions or whatever I may provide, they know I'm there for them."

The coaching journey for McNeill is well known at this point, after spending more than 40 years in the profession. After spending four years as a cornerback at East Carolina -- three years as a starter, two as a captain -- McNeill climbed his way up the coaching ranks starting out as an assistant at Lumberton High.

McNeill made stops at several programs like Clemson, Appalachian State, UNLV, Fresno State and Texas Tech before landing back with his alma mater as the head coach in 2010. After leading the program to three straight seasons with eight or more wins from 2012-14 -- including the second 10-win campaign in school history -- McNeill was fired by the Pirates.

The first person to call McNeill after he was let go by East Carolina? That came from Dave Doeren.

He's since gone on to be the Associate Head Coach at both Virginia and Oklahoma and continued to enjoy a successful career at both stops. But when his father was diagnosed with dementia, McNeill had to make the hardest decision of his life in stepping away from coaching.

The first call he received after the news went public? It once again came from Doeren.

"Not the second, but the very first phone call," McNeill said on the ACC Network segment.

Doeren knew all about the path McNeill was about to embark on. His father has battled with Alzheimer's disease while McNeill was moving back home to be closer to his father for similar reasons. It wasn't until later that McNeill received another phone call from Doeren to offer him a job back in the coaching profession.

"Dave knew I was coming home, so he called and arranged a position to come be an assistant to him," McNeill explained on the All-Access episode, "I couldn't think of a more perfect way to keep my mind busy. ... We were put here together for a reason at this time. I know that it was for more than just football."

One of the driving factors for Doeren simply reaching out to McNeill was their long history together. Though they had never coached on the same staff, they had a history that dated back to 1999 when Doeren was a graduate assistant at USC and McNeill was the defensive line coach at Fresno State.

The two also coached in the Big 12 together from 2002-05 with Doeren at Kansas and McNeill at Texas Tech. During Doeren's first three years at NC State, McNeill was the head coach at ECU. Getting that type of leadership on the sidelines with an already loaded 10-person coaching staff is not something that Doeren takes lightly.

"The biggest thing is just how Ruff treats people," Doeren said. "Everybody that he meets is his best friend. They walk in and he's just got a real warm way of treating people and respecting people. I just love that about him. ... His value cannot be quantitated for me because of the relationship and the way he looks after us."

So where does that infectious personality come from? It's been his entire way of life for as long as he can remember from his parents.

"I go back to my mom and dad, Bonnie and Ruffin McNeill, who raised me and my brother, Reggie, making sure we learn to serve," McNeill said. "Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on the face of this earth. I live by that quote by Shirley Chisholm. I think my role is to serve and I'm honored -- beyond honored -- to be able to do that and very humbled.

"People that know me know I like being in the background. I want other people to succeed and get praised."

After two highly successful years since he joined the program, the "OG" is set to head back to East Carolina in less than two weeks for the first time on the sidelines for NC State. Though it's a position he didn't see ever happening, it's one he's embracing as he helps drive home the culture for the Wolfpack alongside Doeren.

"Ten years ago, I never would've imagined I'd be working here," McNeill said. "But I'm glad I am now. I love what I'm doing, I love coaching and I love serving these young men."

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RUFFIN, N.C. — The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office released new details after two men were arrested and accused of tying up a teenage girl during a home invasion.

At about 12;30 p.m. , deputies responded to a home invasion in Ruffin.

At the scene, investigators learned a teenage girl was home alone when two men wearing gloves and masks forced their way into the home.

The men reportedly hit the girl with a mason jar.

The suspects then allegedly tied her hands with the cord of a flat iron, her feet with a cellphone charger cord and used a third cord to hogtie her.

They wanted her to unlock her cellphone and used a butcher knife to cut her fingers to get her to unlock the phone, the mother said.

During the home invasion, the suspects took video games, consoles, jewelry boxes, old cellphones, alcohol, cigarettes, TVs and firearms from the home before leaving in a vehicle.

Once the robbers left, the girl was able to untie herself and call 911.

She is expected to recover from her injuries.

While investigating, detectives learned the identities of two suspects.

Detectives went undercover and began surveillance of the two Wednesday morning.

Shiheem Dashan Williamson, 24, of Ruffin left his home to pick up Maurice Alexande Williamson, 49, of Reidsville. Deputies say the vehicle matched the description of the car connected to the home invasion in Ruffin.

As the car crossed into Guilford County, Rockingham County deputies notified deputies in Guilford County.

When the vehicle stopped on the 7600 block of Caber Road in Browns Summit, deputies saw the two suspects reportedly try to break into the home.

When investigators identified themselves and tried to stop the break-in, one of the suspects allegedly tried to hide in the home. The other suspect ran into the woods.

Maurice Williamson was found hiding in the attic, and Shiheem Williamson was found after a manhunt.

They were both charged in connection with the Caber Road break-in by the Guildford County Sheriff’s Office.

They were then taken to the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Magistrate where they were both charged with second-degree kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting injury, felony breaking and entering and felony larceny after breaking and entering.

Shiheem Williamson received a $500,000 secured bond. Maurice Williamson received a $250,000 secured bond.

Investigators searched both suspects’ homes and reportedly found stolen items from several break-ins, including the Ruffin home invasion.

RALEIGH — Lumberton native Ruffin McNeill is returning to an in-state football program as North Carolina State announced Tuesday it had hired the former East Carolina head coach and Oklahoma assistant on its football staff as a special assistant to the head coach.

The school said the job would serve as an advisor head coach Dave Doeren. Duties include assisting player development analysis, leading special projects and outreach to alumni, campus and community groups.

“I’ve known Ruffin since the beginning of my coaching career,” Doeren said in a statement. “Not only is he one of my closest friends in the profession, but he’s been a mentor to me since I was 24 years old. … Having a former head coach on our staff who I can trust and have known for almost my entire career is a huge benefit for me personally, as well as for our entire program.

“As a North Carolina native and a former coach at Appalachian State and ECU, Ruffin has great relationships and ties across our state. I am looking forward to working with him and want to welcome him and his wife Erlene to the Wolfpack family.”

McNeill, 61, was the Pirates’ head coach from 2010-15 and guided his alma mater to four bowl appearances during a college coaching career spanning more than three decades. He later joined Oklahoma’s staff under Lincoln Riley – who had worked under him at ECU – for three seasons as assistant head coach.

McNeill stepped down in January to help care for his father in Lumberton.

“I just felt like it was time for me to be a son and for Erlene and I to come back home,” McNeill said. “Dave has been in touch with me for all these years. He called and wished me well and stayed in touch the entire time. Then we began talking about this opportunity.

“We both decided what a great opportunity it would be for both of us.”

McNeill will serve as an advisor for the coaching staff, and is not allowed to go on the road and recruit players or have a coaching role with players.

“I look forward to being a resource for the entire staff, but especially for Dave,” McNeill said. “I’ve been in that chair and know the pressures that come along with it, so I hope to be a sounding board for him.”

On top of being a sounding board, McNeill said he will be able to step back and see the bigger picture of the program and the university in his new position.

“I’ll miss the X’s and O’s part on the field, but this new experience is really exciting too,” He said. “I will be observing how the kids react, how they play and how they practice. Sharing any knowledge with the coaches that I may see. Not football wise but young people wise.”

Before his start in the college ranks, McNeill was an assistant coach at Lumberton High School from 1980 to 1984. McNeill graduated from Lumberton in 1976 before lettering for four years at East Carolina.

He graduated from ECU in 1980 after majoring in education with a focus in special education. He later earned his master’s degree in secondary counseling from Clemson.

McNeill was named head coach at East Carolina on Jan. 21, 2010, and served in that capacity for six seasons (2010-15). He posted a 42-34 record at ECU and his Pirates’ teams played in four bowl games and beat Ohio 37-20 in the 2013 Beef O’Brady’s Bowl.

In 2014, East Carolina began the season with a 6-1 record and was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll for six weeks. ECU used an explosive offensive unit that rated among the nation’s top five in passing (third), first downs (fourth) and total yards (fifth). Defensively, only 10 FBS teams were better against the run, as the Pirates allowed just 111.8 yards per game.

The Pirates recorded 10 victories in 2013, which ranks as the second-highest single-season win total in school history. That squad also broke or matched 52 individual and team single-game, single-season and all-time standards, while both sides of the ball combined to rank among the top 15 nationally in 12 statistical categories. The Pirates finished 7-1 in Conference USA that year.

At his latest coaching stop at Oklahoma, he led the defensive tackles and outside linebackers during his three seasons with the program. He also served as defensive coordinator for much of the 2018 campaign.

RUFFIN, N.C. — Update 4:35 p.m. - NC Highway Patrol confirms the standoff situation in Rockingham County is over, WFMY's Alma McCarty reports.

Rockingham County Sheriff's deputies negotiated with a man who barricaded himself inside a house Wednesday.

The incident happened on Deodara Lane in Ruffin. Shortly before 8 a.m., deputies went to a house to get in contact with 37-year-old Joseph Irving in regards to misdemeanor warrants. When deputies went to the door, they said Irving came to the window with a weapon and tapped the glass.

The Sheriff's Office established a perimeter of containment around the home.

Access to the area was restricted for safety reasons.

The Rockingham County Sheriff's Office said Irving's father was inside the house, but they were able to get him out safely. He was not injured.

The sheriff's office said several schools in Rockingham County received threats, and some schools were on lockdown. They believe the threats came from Irving from inside the home. Deputies said other threats were made at the governmental center and courthouse in the area. They did security checks to make sure there was nothing dangerous happening at any location that received threats.

The bomb squad from Greensboro was called in to help. There were also deputies and other law enforcement on scene trying to negotiate with Irving. Deputies said he barricaded himself inside with a shotgun. No one was injured.

Deodara Lane in Ruffin was closed to traffic and drivers for several hours.

The Rockingham County Sheriff's Office also said Irving ran for Rockingham County Clerk of Court in 2018.

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