ARTICLE 2B.
Violent Habitual Felons.
§ 14‑7.7.  Persons defined as violent habitual felons.
(a)	Any person who has been convicted of two violent felonies in any federal court, in a court of this or any other state of the United States, or in a combination of these courts is declared to be a violent habitual felon. For purposes of this Article, "convicted" means the person has been adjudged guilty of or has entered a plea of guilty or no contest to the violent felony charge, and judgment has been entered thereon when such action occurred on or after July 6, 1967. This Article does not apply to a second violent felony unless it is committed after the conviction or plea of guilty or no contest to the first violent felony. Any felony to which a pardon has been extended shall not, for the purposes of this Article, constitute a felony. The burden of proving a pardon shall rest with the defendant, and this State shall not be required to disprove a pardon. Conviction as an habitual felon shall not, for purposes of this Article, constitute a violent felony.
(b)	For purposes of this Article, "violent felony" includes the following offenses:
(1)	All Class A through E felonies.
(2)	Any repealed or superseded offense substantially equivalent to the offenses listed in subdivision (1).
(3)	Any offense committed in another jurisdiction substantially similar to the offenses set forth in subdivision (1) or (2). (1994, Ex. Sess., c. 22, ss. 31, 32; 2000‑155, s. 14.)

§ 14‑7.8.  Punishment.
When a person is charged by indictment with the commission of a violent felony and is also charged with being a violent habitual felon as defined in G.S. 14‑7.7, the person must, upon conviction, be sentenced in accordance with this Article, except in those cases where the death penalty is imposed. (1994, Ex. Sess., c. 22, s. 31.)

§ 14‑7.9.  Charge of violent habitual felon.
An indictment that charges a person who is a violent habitual felon within the meaning of G.S. 14‑7.7 with the commission of any violent felony must, in order to sustain a conviction of violent habitual felon, also charge that the person is a violent habitual felon.  The indictment charging the defendant as a violent habitual felon shall be separate from the indictment charging the defendant with the principal violent felony.  An indictment that charges a person with being a violent habitual felon must set forth the date that prior violent felonies were committed, the name of the state or other sovereign against whom the violent felonies were committed, the dates of convictions of the violent felonies, and the identity of the court in which the convictions took place.  A defendant charged with being a violent habitual felon in a bill of indictment shall not be required to go to trial on that charge within 20 days after the finding of a true bill by the grand jury unless the defendant waives this 20‑day period. (1994, Ex. Sess., c. 22, s. 31.)

§ 14‑7.10.  Evidence of prior convictions of violent felonies.
In all cases where a person is charged under this Article with being a violent habitual felon, the records of prior convictions of violent felonies shall be admissible in evidence, but only for the purpose of proving that the person has been convicted of former violent felonies.  A prior conviction may be proved by stipulation of the parties or by the original or a certified copy of the court record of the prior conviction.  The original or certified copy of the court record, bearing the same name as that by which the defendant is charged, shall be prima facie evidence that the defendant named therein is the same as the defendant before the court, and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts set out therein. (1994, Ex. Sess., c. 22, s. 31.)

§ 14‑7.11.  Verdict and judgment.
When an indictment charges a violent habitual felon with a violent felony as provided in this Article and an indictment also charges that the person is a violent habitual felon as provided in this Article, the defendant shall be tried for the principal violent felony as provided by law.  The indictment that the person is a violent habitual felon shall not be revealed to the jury unless the jury finds that the defendant is guilty of the principal violent felony or another violent felony with which the defendant is charged.  If the jury finds the defendant guilty of a violent felony, the bill of indictment charging the defendant as a violent habitual felon may be presented to the same jury.  Except that the same jury may be used, the proceedings shall be as if the issue of violent habitual felon were a principal charge.  If the jury finds that the defendant is a violent habitual felon, the trial judge shall enter judgment according to the provisions of this Article.  If the jury finds that the defendant is not a violent habitual felon, the trial judge shall pronounce judgment on the principal violent felony or felonies as provided by law. (1994, Ex. Sess., c. 22, s. 31.)

§ 14‑7.12.  Sentencing of violent habitual felons.
A person who is convicted of a violent felony and of being a violent habitual felon must, upon conviction (except where the death penalty is imposed), be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.  Life imprisonment without parole means that the person will spend the remainder of the person's natural life in prison.  The sentencing judge may not suspend the sentence and may not place the person sentenced on probation.  Sentences for violent habitual felons imposed under this Article shall run consecutively with and shall commence at the expiration of any other sentence being served by the person. (1994, Ex. Sess., c. 22, s. 31.)

§ 14-7.13: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 14-7.14: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 14-7.15: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 14-7.16: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 14-7.17: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 14-7.18: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 14-7.19: Reserved for future codification purposes.