A North Carolina mother’s painful loss has fueled a growing petition calling for major legal reforms to how the state handles records and oversight of convicted sex offenders. The campaign, titled “Megan’s Law Reform,” aims to end the ability of sex offenders to have their records expunged or their names removed from the registry.
The petition was launched by Dawn Walker Wood Edwards, a registered nurse and grieving mother, after the 2014 death of her daughter, Megan Danielle Wood, at age 26. Megan’s death, she says, exposed serious flaws in North Carolina’s legal system that allowed a convicted sex offender to erase his past and regain professional credentials in emergency services.
A Legal Loophole With Real-Life Consequences
Michael “Bryan” Cochran, a former police officer, was convicted in 2000 of indecent liberties with a minor — a felony that placed him on the sex offender registry for 10 years. After serving his term, Cochran successfully petitioned for removal and had his record expunged with support from a judge and local prosecutors. By 2011, he had regained his EMT license, once again working in public safety roles despite his past.
In May 2014, Cochran spent over 80 minutes on the phone with Megan as she expressed suicidal thoughts, yet he never contacted emergency services. Megan was later found by her mother with a fatal gunshot wound. Cochran was found civilly liable in her death, but the expungement of his prior conviction meant the public had no access to his criminal history.
Despite assurances from state emergency services officials that he would not be recertified, Cochran was quietly relicensed in 2023, with an EMT certification valid until 2027.
What the Petition Seeks
The proposed Megan’s Law Reform would:
- Prohibit expungement of any felony that requires sex offender registration
- Eliminate the ability for convicted offenders to petition for registry removal
- Restrict eligibility for public safety licenses — including EMS — for anyone with a sex crime conviction or civil liability in a wrongful death case
Edwards says current laws prioritize second chances for abusers while ignoring the safety of vulnerable individuals — especially women, children, and patients in emergency care.
Support the Movement
Megan’s Law Reform is gaining momentum and seeks legislative attention from the North Carolina General Assembly. Supporters are encouraged to sign and share the petition.
🔗 Sign the petition here.