North Carolina Legislative Roundup

"N.C. Senate taking up capital punishment changes," is the AP report, via the Virginian Pilot.

North Carolina Republican senators say rule changes to capital punishment procedures in the state will help mete out justice upon convicted killers and give closure to families of slain victims.

The Senate scheduled floor debate to on legislation that seeks to end a logjam on North Carolina's death row, where no one has been executed since 2006 due to broad legal appeals.

The bill also would repeal completely the Racial Justice Act — a 2009 law that lays out a method for prisoners to use evidence to attempt to persuade a judge their death sentences should be reduced to life in prison.

WECT-TV posts, "Author advocates for maintaining Racial Justice Act ."  It's by Bailey Hicks.

A UNCW Department Chair and author says the Racial Justice Act needs to stay. As part of Senate Bill 306, Sen. Thom Goolsby is suggesting repealing the legislation.

Dr. Kimberly Cook says that's not a good idea. While writing her book, "Life After Death Row," she interviewed over a dozen people who were exonerated from death row.

"It was very sobering, illuminating, and also inspiring," said Cook. "I was inspired by the strength and determination they had to get through that most terrifying experience and come out of it with a determination to prevail in their case against the wrongful conviction."

She says after conducting interviews and talking to people who were wrongly convicted, she believes racial bias is still present in the judicial system, which is why she says the Racial Justice Act needs to remain in North Carolina.

"When we have racial discrimination that can lead to wrongful death to people of color we have to take that seriously," said Cook.

"Racial Justice Act supporters muster opposition to repeal," is the Raleigh News & Observer report by Craig Jarvis.

Death penalty opponents are planning a news conference to muster opposition to legislation that would repeal the Racial Justice Act and resume executions.

North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty will gather with sympathetic lawmakers and people whose relatives have been murdered. The news conference will be Wednesday in the statehouse.

Earlier this month, a repeal bill backed by the Senate leadership – SB306 – was the subject of a news conference by its primary sponsor, Sen. Thom Goolsby, a Republican from Wilmington.

Read more here: http://projects.newsobserver.com/node/27246#storylink=cpy

Earlier coverage from North Carolina begins at the link.