Morning News Briefs: Monday, August 22, 2016

N.C. Supreme Court Dismisses Kalvin Smith's Appeal

The North Carolina Supreme Court dismissed Kalvin Michael Smith's appeal for his conviction in the Silk Plant Forest assault case.

The court's decision on Friday may have been the 45-year-old Smith's final chance to prove his innocence.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports Smith has spent 19 years in prison after a Forsyth County jury convicted him of assaulting Jill Marker, an assistant manager at the former Silk Plant Forest store.

Smith has maintained his innocence through a series of unsuccessful appeals in state and federal courts.

Feds Drop Appeal After Sheriff Cleared In Civil Rights Case

The U.S. Justice Department is dropping efforts to appeal a ruling clearing a North Carolina sheriff of civil-rights allegations he ordered deputies to target Hispanic residents for enforcement.

The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, dismissed the government's appeal after government attorneys said Thursday it reached a settlement with Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson.

The Justice Department's decision comes a year after a federal judge in Winston-Salem ruled the government failed to prove Johnson's deputies routinely targeted Latinos for traffic stops.

DA Says Police Justified In Shooting Suspect At NC Walmart

A top prosecutor says a Lenoir police officer was justified in fatally shooting a gun-toting man at a northwest North Carolina Walmart store, adding the officer prevented bystanders from being hurt.

District Attorney David Learner reached his conclusion after reviewing videos captured by the store and police body cameras. Learner says preliminary toxicology tests also found amphetamines and methamphetamine in the bloodstream of 32-year-old Carl Marcus Nivens, who was killed.

Learner says the Lenoir resident was a suspect in a vehicle break-in outside the store and was shooting at police Sgt. Brett Ingram, who returned fire and killed Nivens.

Judge Approves Bankruptcy Sale Of Southern Season

A federal judge has approved the sale of gourmet retailer Southern Season after it struggled to expand.

The News & Observer reports that the sale should allow the flagship Chapel Hill location to stay open, but that Southern Season will close stores elsewhere including Raleigh and Asheville.

Delaware-based Calvert Retail agreed to pay $3.5 million in a bankruptcy sale on Friday. The deal is expected to close on Monday.

Calvert owns Kitchen & Company stores in several states including the Carolinas.

Si Woo Kim Wins Wyndham Championship For 1st PGA Tour Title

Si Woo Kim won the Wyndham Championship by five strokes Sunday for his first PGA Tour title.

The 21-year-old South Korean player closed with a 3-under 67 to finish at 21-under 259 at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensoboro, tying the tournament 72-hole record set eight years ago by Carl Pettersson.

Kim earned 500 FedEx Cup points and $1,008,000 in prize money in the regular-season finale.

Luke Donald was second at 16-under after a 67. Hideki Matsuyama and Brandt Snedeker were 15-under, also each shooting 67.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Receive the morning news briefs delivered to your email inbox every morning, click here to sign-up.