HAMLET — A criminal case between two former Hamlet City Council candidates has been dismissed.
Online court records show a misdemeanor charge of communicating threats against Esco Latimer — filed by Dr. Amber Daniels — was dismissed without leave with no plea agreement by the District Attorney’s office on Dec. 19.
Daniels filed the charge Oct. 14 following an altercation with Latimer and his fiance after a Hamlet City Council meeting — where Latimer had addressed his previous charges, noting they had all been dismissed.
(NOTE: A previous story referred to Latimer’s partner as his wife, because that’s how he had referred to her.)
Daniels claimed in a criminal summons that Latimer had told her: “You better leave the premises before you get hurt.”
Court records also show Daniels has pending charges from two years ago in Hoke County: a misdemeanor count of cyberstalking filed July 2, 2023; and six counts of misdemeanor breaking and entering filed July 3, 2023.
No copy of either summons is available in online court records, however Daniels’ address is listed and matches that in election records.
In a Facebook comment thread related to the RO’s story on the matter, Daniels said she was unaware of the charges.
“This false information didn’t become apparent to me until after I pressed charges (against Latimer),” Daniels said, adding that “...all involved will be held accountable in the slander.”
Daniels went on to say in another comment that she had had “several background checks completed since this time and none of this has appeared or been mentioned anywhere.”
“I’m just as caught off guard as everyone else,” Daniels continued. “I can’t fight the media, all I can do is let the law do their job in resolving this.”
Daniels said she had contacted a law firm “that will be handling this false accusation and slander further.”
According to court records, Daniels filed an affidavit of indigency and received a court-appointed public defender on Nov. 25.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Daniels filed to run for the Richmond County Board of Education on Dec. 19 — the same day her case against Latimer was dismissed.
