North Carolina Repeals Law Allowing Racial Bias Claim in Death Penalty Challenges

[G_j]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/06/us/racial-justice-act-repealed-in-north-carolina.html?_r=0

By KIM SEVERSON
Published: June 5, 2013

A law that allowed death-row inmates to challenge their sentences based on racial bias claims was repealed by the North Carolina legislature on Wednesday, paving the way for executions to resume in a state that has 152 people on death row.

The law, the only one of its kind in the country, allowed inmates to use state and county statistics and other material to claim that race played a role in their sentencing. Since the law took effect in 2009, nearly everyone facing execution — not all of them black — has used it in hopes of reducing sentences to life in prison.

In the weeks before the State House of Representatives took up the Racial Justice Act, most lawmakers acknowledged it was headed for repeal. Still, the legislative debate stretched over two days and was noteworthy for both its emotion and its ideology.

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[Laelth]

1. This is heart-rending.

The NC legislature is really bending over backwards to be as evil as possible. How could one not expect a massive backlash?



-Laelth

[G_j]

2. 140 arrested in NC during NAACP protest

http://news.yahoo.com/140-arrested-nc-during-naacp-131211036.html


About 140 arrested in NC during NAACP protest
Associated Press - Tuesday, June 4, 2013

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- About 140 people have been arrested during the latest weekly demonstration led by the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP against the state's Republican-led General Assembly.

Police estimate that roughly 1,000 people attended a rally late Monday afternoon behind the Legislative Building. Hundreds later entered the building, with those intending to get arrested wearing green wrist bands.

Those arrested were taken away in plastic bindings. They bring the total arrested in the weekly demonstrations to about 300. The rallies have taken place nearly every Monday since April.

Hundreds more waited outside to cheer on those arrested as they were transported to a detention facility.

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