Update: HELP NEEDED on the NC RJA: National ACLU

Thursday, June 2, 2011
News / North Carolina / politics
UPDATE: Racial Justice Act repeal bill pulled from House calendar
Posted by Samiha Khanna on Thu, Jun 2, 2011 at 12:19 PM

Since we may have a bit more time to contact legislators, plz do so...see items below and other posts in June and last half of May in archives.

We STILL Need Your Help:

Just got this from from ACLU of NC:

The NC Racial Justice Act is a model for other states and addresses both past and ongoing racial injustice in capital proceedings. SB 9, "No Discriminatory Purpose in Death Penalty," seeks to effectively repeal the Racial Justice Act. After passing the Judiciary Subcommittee B yesterday morning, SB 9 is scheduled to be heard by the House of Representatives TODAY. Call your House Representative and tell them to OPPOSE SB 9 and uphold the Racial Justice Act!

In 2009, the NC General Assembly passed the Racial Justice Act to address racial bias in the capital punishment system. Major studies have recently found significant racial bias in jury selection and with regard to race of the victim in death penalty proceedings in North Carolina. Now some legislators wish to "modify" the Racial Justice Act and have introduced HB 615, the so-called "No Discriminatory Purpose in Death Penalty" bill. Two weeks ago, certain House members inserted the language of HB 615 into an already passed Senate bill to curtail debate on the repeal of the Racial Justice Act.

SB 9/HB 615 does NOT amend the NC Racial Justice Act, it repeals it by preventing the use of statistical evidence or the testimony of attorneys, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, or jurors tending to show that race was a factor! Call your House Representative and ask them to oppose SB 9.

Let's make sure the NC General Assembly does not repeal this groundbreaking law.

Please contact your House Representative and tell them to OPPOSE SB 109. To view your Representative's contact information, please click here or visit this link
here or cut/paste http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/memberList.pl?sChamber=House

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NOTE: Rep. Rick Glazier - strongly opposed to this repeal - will be offering a Press Release at 11:30 am today - Thursday. See more info in post just below.

See list of NC House representatives by district/party # GO here

Find FAXES and other info easily here: http://www.ncleg.net/DocumentSites/HouseDocuments/2011-2012%20Session/2011%20Alphabetical%20List.pdf or CLICK here

Act Fast Please (you may want to concentrate on the Republican Block and if out of state, call/FAX a few anyway...

Find talking points, articles and more suggestions below and in Archives for mid to end of May...