ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. - Attorneys seeking to stop the Silent Sam settlement, between the UNC Board of Governors and the N.C. Sons of Confederate Veterans, argued Friday that the SVC has no legal claim to the statue, making the settlement unnecessary.
- Orange County judge denies motion to intervene in Silent Sam settlement
- Attorneys argued that the Sons of Confederate Veterans has no legal claim to the Confederate statue
- UNC Board of Governors attorneys argued the students can't prove injury
Attorneys representing the UNC Board of Governors then argued the students don’t have standing to intervene in the settlement, since they can’t prove injury. They argued what could happen, if the statue is moved instead of being destroyed, is strictly hypothetical, and therefore can’t be argued in court.
UNC student De’Ivyion Drew takes issue with that opinion.
“I think it was very childish of them, in a misrepresentation of what injury truly means, especially if we’re talking about a 400-year span of black trauma in the history of this United States," she said. "To eradicate that in the courtroom is a travesty.”
In the end, an Orange County judge ruled the proposed interveners did not have standing. And the motion to intervene was denied. But he ordered a briefing to be filed, by the Board of Governors counsel, explaining what legal standing the SVC has to claim ownership of Silent Sam. If that’s established, the judge plans to order a review of how the settlement decision was made.
