David Simpson Charged in 1 Killing After $10,000 Bond Release in Charlotte

Q: How did a convicted killer bond out of jail just 90 minutes before allegedly committing another murder?

He was able to get out because the charge he was being held on was bailable, and the release decision appears to have been based on that case alone, not on the broad arc of his criminal history. Records show David Simpson was jailed on an outstanding warrant tied to a charge of possession of a weapon by a prisoner, described in local reports as having a shank while in custody. In Mecklenburg County, as in much of North Carolina, a magistrate or judge can set a secured bond on such a charge. In Simpson’s case, that amount was $10,000, and jail records say he posted it and was released at about 12:20 a.m. Nothing in the reporting indicates he was being held on the new homicide case at the time of release; the fatal shooting happened afterward, about 1:45 a.m. That means the jail was processing a pretrial release on the older weapons case, not deciding whether to detain him for the later killing. The case raises a sharper question about why someone with a prior voluntary manslaughter conviction, parole history, and repeated firearm-related arrests was eligible for bond at all. But the available records do not show an illegal release or clerical mistake. They point instead to a lawful bond being set on a noncapital pending charge, despite a serious prior record. After the new arrest, the legal posture changed completely. Simpson is now charged with first-degree murder and related felonies, and a judge has ordered him held without bond.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 3

Less than two hours after leaving Mecklenburg County Jail at 12:20 a.m. on a $10,000 bond, David Simpson allegedly shot two men at a Charlotte apartment complex, killing one and seriously wounding the other.
Police said the July 29 attack followed a long-running parking dispute; surveillance video allegedly shows Simpson retrieving a weighted black bag, running toward the victims, and gunshots sounding about 10 minutes later.
First-degree murder, attempted murder and other charges now leave the 29-year-old held without bond, while his girlfriend, Shakema Scott, faces an accessory-after-the-fact charge and Simpson is due back in court Aug. 21.
Simpson had pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in a 2013 killing, served about five years, was paroled in 2020, and had multiple later firearm-related arrests—fueling criticism over why he was free.