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Legal battle over social media post of seashells heading to a eastern North Carolina courtroom

The legal battle over a social media post of seashells is heading to a eastern North Carolina courtroom.

Former FBI Director James Comey is scheduled to make his initial appearance on May 11th in Greenville, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly Swank. This follows his brief appearance in Virginia this week, where he surrendered to authorities but was released without conditions.

The case centers on a deleted Instagram photo of shells arranged to form the numbers "86 47"—which the Justice Department argues is a coded death threat against President Trump.

Comey, who owns a home in Emerald Isle, maintains the numbers were a political message he removed once he realized they were being misinterpreted.

His legal team has already signaled they plan to fight the felony charges, calling the prosecution "selective and vindictive".

Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.