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NC Racial Justice Act going to governor's desk

By Douglas A. Berman

This local story, headlined "Racial Justice Act passes, now goes to Perdue," provides the latest news on a notable death penalty bill that may be on the verge of becoming law in North Carolina: The General Assembly has approved a landmark bill that will allow death-row inmates to challenge the death penalty by arguing that there is systemic racial bias in the way that capital punishment has been applied.  Under the bill, which is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Bev Perdue, an inmate will be able to present statistical evidence showing racial disparities in how the death penalty has been used. If a judge finds the evidence convincing, the judge can overturn that inmate's death sentence and convert it to a sentence of life in prison.  Similarly, in future murder trials in North Carolina, judges will be able to block prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty if they find a historical pattern of racial bias in the use of the death penalty...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on August 06, 2009 (boomark / email).