We are family and friends supporting Melvin Davis and Licurtis Reels who are incarcerated in the Carteret County Jail in Beaufort, NC. They went into jail on March 17, 2011 for simple trespassing and contempt of court. They have not been outside during all that time. They refused to vacate land that had been in their family for more than 100 years.Their family seeks supervised release while their case is argued through the justice system.
We are trying to collect at least 5,000 signatures to send to Governor Roy Cooper of NC to get these men released. They will have another day in court before the NC Supreme Court, hopefully late 2018.
Visit our Facebook Group: Indivisible Carteret: Freedom for the Reels. Their story is one of men being taken advantage of because they own beautiful waterfront land along Adams Creek and developers want to steal the property from them.
Facebook Group: Freedom for the Reels
Imagine being in jail for since March 17, 2011 with little prospect of release? Your crime? Refusing to vacate land which has been in your family for 60 years. Melvin Davis and LiCurtis Reels are convinced a development firm illegally seized their land by misusing the Torrens Act. They are being held for contempt of court and are incarcerated in Beaufort, NC.
Gertrude Reels' grandfather, Elijah Reels bought the land in 1911, but lost it to non payment of taxes in 1939 and 1944. So, his son, Mitchell Reels, bought the land from the county in 1944. The county tax office and register of deeds recorded Mitchell Reels as the owner of all 65 acres of land.
When Mitchell Reels died in 1970, leaving no will, his heirs, including daughter Gertrude, believed the land was theirs. Two of Gertrude's sons, Melvin Davis and Licurtis Reels, built houses on the land.
Then, Mitchell Reels' brother, Shedrick Reels from New Jersey, came in to the picture. He presented a deed to the land saying his dad, Elijah Reels, wanted him to have. The deed was dated 1950 – six years after Elijah lost the land and Mitchell purchased it.
In 1978, the Reels family hired a local attorney to represent them against the claim by Shedrick. They won the case. The court ruled that the 1944 deed was the legitimate claim and the Mitchell Reels Heirs are awarded title to the land.
In 1979, a Torrens Act certificate was obtained by Shedrick who had no legal claim to the land. The certificate stated that the Reels have no objection to giving a parcel of land to Shedrick Reels.
The Torrens Act is used when land is in dispute. During such an action, all the heirs to the land should be notified, and a new claim is registered to the new owner. None of the Reels family in Merrimon were notified. The court ruled that the clock had run out on an appeal to get their land back and eventually, Shedrick Reels sold this parcel to Adams Creek Associates.
Melvin Davis and Licurtis Reels were incarcerated when they refused to destroy their homes and leave the land after the courts ruled that Adams Creek Associates legally owns it. The family has continued to fight this ruling.
PLEASE HELP AND SIGN THE PETITION FOR THEIR RELEASE!
Updates
August 31, 2018
Two hundred and fifty people have signed this and honestly I am staring at the screen in complete disbelief because I really thought nobody outside of our immediate circle would care about this land dispute. It feels like people are finally starting to see the absurdity of keeping these men locked away for so long just because they refused to walk away from their own heritage. I cannot stop thinking about them stuck in that cell while developers take their land so thank you for paying attention.
Reached 250 supporters
August 29, 2018
July 18, 2018
I was looking at the old family photos of the land again and it just breaks my heart to think of them sitting in that cell while developers eye the creek. People have been messaging me with their own stories about land disputes and honestly it is overwhelming how many folks are getting pushed out of their own history like this.
June 16, 2018
I honestly cannot believe how many people are looking at this right now because when I started typing this out I felt like I was shouting into a void. It is wild to see people actually paying attention to the land issue and the situation at the jail since it has been so heavy on our minds for such a long time now. I keep refreshing the page and my heart just beats so fast because maybe this truly means someone in charge has to pay attention.
Reached 100 supporters
May 11, 2018
93 Comments
Cant believe our County gov would allow this travesty to happen. Then again we all know that he who has the gold also makes the rules and especially in Carteret County. The 2 gentlemen do not belong behind bars . Shame on our leadership in Carteret County.
These men have been denied justice by the courts again and again. They have been in a county jail, designed for short-term incarceration, for more than 7 years. They ran afoul of a land grab made possible by the archaic Torrens Act. It's time the judiciary took a clear look at the very long history of this case.
When men must rot in prison for years longer than most criminals do because they will not abide by a court ruling that would strip them of their family land, something is seriously wrong with justice. Such a result encourages disdain and contempt for the courts and the judges who feel entitled to rule by decree. Release these men. Their detention is the height of absurdity.
Mitchell Reel's heirs should be the legal owners of this property! Gertrude, being a legal heir, had the right to give her grandsons property. No one in their right mind would "give" their land away! These men are entitled to the land and should be released, and paid for their time served! They are also entitled to any land that has been developed by Adams Creek Associates.
Please partake in signing this petition on the behalf of my uncles , there incarceration is totally inhumane and unjustified. Seven years in jail , no bail or bound ever offered for refusing to tear down your home and relinquish all rights to property your family clearly own.
Time to get your land back!
coming up on 8 years for a misdemeanor
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We are family and friends supporting Melvin Davis and Licurtis Reels who are incarcerated in the Carteret County Jail in Beaufort, NC. They went into jail on March 17, 2011 for simple trespassing and contempt of court. They have not been outside during all that time. They refused to vacate land that had been in their family for more than 100 years.Their family seeks supervised release while their case is argued through the justice system.
We are trying to collect at least 5,000 signatures to send to Governor Roy Cooper of NC to get these men released. They will have another day in court before the NC Supreme Court, hopefully late 2018.
Visit our Facebook Group: Indivisible Carteret: Freedom for the Reels. Their story is one of men being taken advantage of because they own beautiful waterfront land along Adams Creek and developers want to steal the property from them.
Facebook Group: Freedom for the Reels
Imagine being in jail for since March 17, 2011 with little prospect of release? Your crime? Refusing to vacate land which has been in your family for 60 years. Melvin Davis and LiCurtis Reels are convinced a development firm illegally seized their land by misusing the Torrens Act. They are being held for contempt of court and are incarcerated in Beaufort, NC.
Gertrude Reels' grandfather, Elijah Reels bought the land in 1911, but lost it to non payment of taxes in 1939 and 1944. So, his son, Mitchell Reels, bought the land from the county in 1944. The county tax office and register of deeds recorded Mitchell Reels as the owner of all 65 acres of land.
When Mitchell Reels died in 1970, leaving no will, his heirs, including daughter Gertrude, believed the land was theirs. Two of Gertrude's sons, Melvin Davis and Licurtis Reels, built houses on the land.
Then, Mitchell Reels' brother, Shedrick Reels from New Jersey, came in to the picture. He presented a deed to the land saying his dad, Elijah Reels, wanted him to have. The deed was dated 1950 – six years after Elijah lost the land and Mitchell purchased it.
In 1978, the Reels family hired a local attorney to represent them against the claim by Shedrick. They won the case. The court ruled that the 1944 deed was the legitimate claim and the Mitchell Reels Heirs are awarded title to the land.
In 1979, a Torrens Act certificate was obtained by Shedrick who had no legal claim to the land. The certificate stated that the Reels have no objection to giving a parcel of land to Shedrick Reels.
The Torrens Act is used when land is in dispute. During such an action, all the heirs to the land should be notified, and a new claim is registered to the new owner. None of the Reels family in Merrimon were notified. The court ruled that the clock had run out on an appeal to get their land back and eventually, Shedrick Reels sold this parcel to Adams Creek Associates.
Melvin Davis and Licurtis Reels were incarcerated when they refused to destroy their homes and leave the land after the courts ruled that Adams Creek Associates legally owns it. The family has continued to fight this ruling.
PLEASE HELP AND SIGN THE PETITION FOR THEIR RELEASE!
Updates
August 31, 2018
Two hundred and fifty people have signed this and honestly I am staring at the screen in complete disbelief because I really thought nobody outside of our immediate circle would care about this land dispute. It feels like people are finally starting to see the absurdity of keeping these men locked away for so long just because they refused to walk away from their own heritage. I cannot stop thinking about them stuck in that cell while developers take their land so thank you for paying attention.
Reached 250 supporters
August 29, 2018
July 18, 2018
I was looking at the old family photos of the land again and it just breaks my heart to think of them sitting in that cell while developers eye the creek. People have been messaging me with their own stories about land disputes and honestly it is overwhelming how many folks are getting pushed out of their own history like this.
June 16, 2018
I honestly cannot believe how many people are looking at this right now because when I started typing this out I felt like I was shouting into a void. It is wild to see people actually paying attention to the land issue and the situation at the jail since it has been so heavy on our minds for such a long time now. I keep refreshing the page and my heart just beats so fast because maybe this truly means someone in charge has to pay attention.
Reached 100 supporters
May 11, 2018
93 Comments
I have know this family for many years and find it dishearten , The Reels Brothers have suffered enough. Think of all the time missed with their mother and children.
Cant believe our County gov would allow this travesty to happen. Then again we all know that he who has the gold also makes the rules and especially in Carteret County. The 2 gentlemen do not belong behind bars . Shame on our leadership in Carteret County.
These men have been denied justice by the courts again and again. They have been in a county jail, designed for short-term incarceration, for more than 7 years. They ran afoul of a land grab made possible by the archaic Torrens Act. It's time the judiciary took a clear look at the very long history of this case.
When men must rot in prison for years longer than most criminals do because they will not abide by a court ruling that would strip them of their family land, something is seriously wrong with justice. Such a result encourages disdain and contempt for the courts and the judges who feel entitled to rule by decree. Release these men. Their detention is the height of absurdity.
Mitchell Reel's heirs should be the legal owners of this property! Gertrude, being a legal heir, had the right to give her grandsons property. No one in their right mind would "give" their land away! These men are entitled to the land and should be released, and paid for their time served! They are also entitled to any land that has been developed by Adams Creek Associates.
Please partake in signing this petition on the behalf of my uncles , there incarceration is totally inhumane and unjustified. Seven years in jail , no bail or bound ever offered for refusing to tear down your home and relinquish all rights to property your family clearly own.
Time to get your land back!
coming up on 8 years for a misdemeanor
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I have know this family for many years and find it dishearten , The Reels Brothers have suffered enough. Think of all the time missed with their mother and children.