The North Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, October 1, issued a permanent stay, halting the release of Nathaniel Cauthen and Rayshawn Banner, two of the remaining members of the “Winston-Salem Five,” whose convictions in the 2002 murder of Nathaniel Jones were overturned in August.

The North Carolina Court of Appeals had denied the state’s attempt to block their release on Monday and dissolved the temporary stay that had kept the men behind bars. Attorneys for Cauthen and Banner had said the men would be released on Wednesday. The Supreme Court’s ruling now prevents that from happening.

Defense attorney Christine Mumma said the men could wait years in prison for the appeal process. She called Cauthen and Banner on Wednesday to tell them about the Supreme Court's decision.

"They were

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