SANFORD, N.C. — A newly released statement from a Lee County sheriff’s deputy is providing additional details about an alleged firearm incident involving District Court Judge Brian Lewis during an open court session.
The statement was obtained by The Rant through a public-records request. It describes an incident the deputy says occurred around noon on July 17 inside a Lee County courtroom. The account remains an allegation and has not resulted in any publicly announced disciplinary finding.
What the deputy’s statement alleges
Deputy Blake Oldham wrote that Lewis was behind the bench while court was in open session when the judge removed a holstered firearm from his pocket. According to the statement, the two discussed firearms and holsters before Lewis removed the small handgun and referred to its laser sight.
Oldham alleged that Lewis then pointed the firearm toward the courtroom clerk and activated the laser. As Lewis moved the handgun while demonstrating the laser’s projection, the deputy said both the laser and the gun’s barrel passed across the clerk’s face.
The statement says Lewis immediately apologized to the clerk. The deputy’s account did not describe an injury connected with the alleged incident.
Matter referred for judicial review
WRAL previously reported that allegations involving a judge displaying a firearm in court had been referred to the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission. At that time, the judge’s identity and many of the specific details contained in the deputy’s statement had not been made public.
The Judicial Standards Commission reviews complaints involving the conduct of North Carolina judges. State law generally keeps commission proceedings confidential unless the process results in public disciplinary action. As of the latest reporting, no public discipline connected to the incident had been announced.
Possession and handling are separate questions
North Carolina law allows judges to carry firearms inside courtrooms under certain conditions. The allegation described in the deputy’s statement, however, concerns the manner in which the firearm was reportedly removed, displayed and handled during an open court session.
The Rant reported that it contacted the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts seeking a response from Lewis. No response was included in the initial report, and the publication said it would update its coverage if one was received.
The source report did not identify a criminal charge or public disciplinary determination. Until an official review is completed or additional information is released, the deputy’s statement should be understood as a witness account rather than a final finding about judicial misconduct.
The incident has nevertheless raised questions about courtroom safety, firearm handling and the standards expected from court officials. Additional information may remain limited unless the Judicial Standards Commission takes public action.
Source: Reporting by Gordon Anderson for The Rant.
