For the last several weeks, residents, readers, and our own newsroom staff have been asking a question over and over: What’s going on in Oak Island?
This week, we published the results of an investigation into that question, showing that — despite what we were told — Oak Island Mayor Cynthia Brochure is linked to the 31 child pornography charges filed against her son, charges that are being investigated by the Oak Island Police Department, where top two law enforcement officials have just stepped down.
While Oak Island town attorney Brian Edes categorically stated that the resignation of the chief and assistant chief, there has been no answer to another pressing question: what of the potential conflict of interest inherent in the Oak Island Police Department investigating the mayor of Oak Island?
Complicating this question is the weeks it’s taken to get public documents — that in other cases would have been readily available, often online. The sum total of the town’s silence, resistance, and even a threat to go to court to avoid releasing information that, by law, should be public, is cause for concern, to say the least.
This week, we discuss what it took, over the last four weeks, to get the information we have so far, and what questions still lie ahead.
If you missed any of our coverage of the evolving story in Oak Island, you can catch up below. Then get a behind-the-scenes look at our reporting with this week’s special podcast.
Update: Documents reveal child porn crimes were committed at Oak Island mayor’s address
Oak Island breaks silence, says top police resignations not connected to arrest of mayor’s son
Assistant Chief of Police for Oak Island resigns following sudden resignation of chief a week prior
Podcast October 20 – Gag orders, Oak Island questions, water wars, and ‘no locals allowed’
Oak Island silent as court records show more details, prompt more questions, about mayor’s son
Oak Island Mayor’s son held on $2 million bond relating to child pornography charges
