The North Carolina NAACP Applauds the Governor's Strong Stance Against Racial Discrimination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 14, 2011

For More Information:        Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President, 919-394-8137

                                            Mrs. Amina Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700

                                            Atty. Jennifer Marsh, Legal Redress Coordinator, 919-682-4700

The North Carolina NAACP Applauds the Governor's Strong Stance Against Racial Discrimination By Vetoing the Attempt to Repeal the Racial Justice Act

(DURHAM) - Earlier today, Governor Perdue vetoed Senate Bill 9, a bill that would have repealed the Racial Justice Act. The North Carolina NAACP applauds the Governor for not bending to the distortions and misrepresentations of the Racial Justice Act spread by the ultra-conservative, extremist leadership of the NC General Assembly and standing firm for more, not less, fairness and equality within our criminal justice system.

To be clear, the Racial Justice Act is not about the guilt or innocence of defendants on death row. No person will ever be released from prison under the Racial Justice Act. The Racial Justice Act only allows a person on death row to provide evidence that racial bias played a role in their death penalty sentence. The burden of proof is on the defendant. If they are able to do so, they could possibly have their sentence commuted to life in prison without parole. If the claim has no merit, the person's death sentence will stand.  

The Racial Justice Act is a modest piece of legislation created to defend against any racial bias playing a role in a death sentence. Passed and signed by the Governor in 2009, the Racial Justice Act was championed by supporters and opponents of the death penalty alike, because they all knew that we must examine the practices and procedures that lead to the disparities found in the application of the ultimate punishment in North Carolina.

The reality of racial bias in death penalty trials is confirmed by a study conducted by Michigan State University. The study found that defendants with White victims are 2.6 times more likely to receive the death penalty than if their victims are African-American.  Potential African-American jurors are dismissed from juries at over twice the rate of their White counterparts. Thirty-one defendants on death row were sentenced by all-White juries.  And 38 more defendants were sentenced to death by juries with only one person of color. 

We call on justice-loving and forward-thinking legislators of both parties to uphold the veto and continue to move North Carolina forward rather than backward.

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