The North Carolina Racial Justice Act (S461) is a fair sentencing reform that seeks to address racial disparities present in our state's use of the death penalty.
Why do we need RJA?
- Racial disparities continue to plague NC's capital punishment system, from the initial decision to seek death to jurors' decisions in the penalty phase of a capital trial.
- Between December 2007 and May 2008, three men were exonerated from North Carolina's death row. All three men were African-American and were accused of killing a white victim.
- A comprehensive study on race and the death penalty in NC found that the odds of getting a death sentence increase three and a half times if the victim is white rather than a person of color.
How does it work?
- The North Carolina Racial Justice Act (S461) would allow a defendant a chance to present evidence to prove that race played a significant role in his/her death sentence.
- The burden of proof is on the defendant.
- The prosecution can then rebut defendant's claims with evidence proving no racial discrimination occurred.
- If successful under RJA, a defendant's sentence of death would be replaced with a sentence of Life in Prison without Parole.
RJA is an important reform for the state of North Carolina. North Carolinains have repeatedly agreed that race can never be an issue when exercising the ultimate penalty.
Please take a moment to send an email and/or fax to Senator Tony Rand and ask that he vote to support the version of the NC Racial Justice that will come before the NC Senate for a concurrence vote on Tuesday, August 4.
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