Death penalty decision on hold in UNC professor Feng Liu murder

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Orange County prosecutors want to meet with the family of a murdered UNC professor before making a final decision on whether to seek the death penalty against two men charged in the case.

Defendants Troy Arrington and Derick Davis were scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing.

Orange County District Attorney Jim Woodall was expected to announce whether he would ask a judge to make the beating death of Dr. Feng Liu be a capital punishment case.

Both defendants are charged with first-degree murder in the July beating death of Liu. Investigators say the UNC researcher was walking in a Chapel Hill neighborhood when he was robbed and beaten with a stone. Liu would later succumb to his injuries at a local hospital.


Prosecutors say they want to first meet with Liu's family before announcing their decision on whether to seek the death penalty. The next hearing is set for December 16.

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