About Gene Braswell
Ronald Gene Braswell, Sr. (1942–2016) was a cornerstone of the Wayne County legal community for more than forty years. Born in Wilmington and raised in Princeton, North Carolina, he graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1972 and co-founded Barnes, Braswell, and Haithcock in Goldsboro. A formidable defense attorney and mentor, he argued North Carolina v. Butler (1979) before the U.S. Supreme Court, a landmark case clarifying that Miranda waivers may be inferred from a defendant's actions and words. Braswell was also an Eagle Scout, a civic leader with St. Luke United Methodist Church and the Community Soup Kitchen of Goldsboro, served on the North Carolina Global TransPark Authority board, and was active in North Carolina Advocates for Justice. His legacy continues through the Barnes, Braswell & Haithcock Scholarship at Wayne Community College.