By Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Deputies are searching for an inmate who was “erroneously released” from the Mecklenburg County jail, Sheriff Garry McFadden said Saturday.
The 29-year-old inmate, Quay Davis, was taken to the jail in uptown Charlotte on April 12 from Bertie Correctional Institution on a writ hold, and he immediately appeared in court, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.
A writ hold is a court order requiring an official to give in court “a valid reason for an inmate’s detention,” according to FindLaw.com. It can occur when someone undergoes lengthy incarceration without being charged, according to the site.
Quay was convicted in 2019 of being a habitual felon, stemming from drug and other convictions, N.C. prison records show. He was sentenced to 8 years and 10 months and was scheduled to be released in January 2025, according to state prison records.
Most recently, Davis was served with a warrant from Pasquotank County for possession of a weapon by a prisoner and was placed under $75,000 bail, the sheriff said.
His court information “was entered incorrectly, without the writ hold added,” McFadden said in the release. When the weapon charge was voluntarily dismissed, he was “erroneously released” May 9.
The Sheriff’s Office was notified about the error on Friday, but didn’t say in the release by whom.
“Our deputies are working diligently to return Mr. Davis into custody,” McFadden said. “We will conduct a thorough internal investigation in connection to this erroneous release to determine any possible negligence or policy and procedure violations.”
McFadden said his office will provide no further comment because of the investigation.
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