Prejudice and Death Penalty
JonnyPistachio
Florida Posts: 10,219
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/ ... h-row?lite
"A North Carolina judge ruled Friday that racial discrimination played a role in sending a black man to death row for killing a white teenager in 1991, a groundbreaking decision rendered under the state's Racial Justice Act.
Cumberland County Superior Court Judge Greg Weeks said condemned inmate Marcus Robinson should be spared execution and instead serve a life sentence in prison without possibility of parole.
Weeks found that prosecutors deliberately excluded qualified black jurors from jury service in Robinson’s case, and said there was evidence this was happening in courts throughout the state.
Robinson’s case was the first to be heard under North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act, a 2009 law that allows prisoners facing execution and capital murder defendants to present evidence of racial bias, including statistics, in court.
Weeks' ruling is expected to be the first of many involving condemned North Carolina inmates. Those who win their claims can have their sentences converted to life in prison without parole. The Racial Justice Act cannot be used to set anyone free.
"The Racial Justice Act represents a landmark reform in capital sentencing in our state," Weeks said in Fayetteville on Friday, according to The Associated Press. "There are those who disagree with this, but it is the law."
Social justice advocates have long contended that racism has put convicted killers on death row unfairly."
"A North Carolina judge ruled Friday that racial discrimination played a role in sending a black man to death row for killing a white teenager in 1991, a groundbreaking decision rendered under the state's Racial Justice Act.
Cumberland County Superior Court Judge Greg Weeks said condemned inmate Marcus Robinson should be spared execution and instead serve a life sentence in prison without possibility of parole.
Weeks found that prosecutors deliberately excluded qualified black jurors from jury service in Robinson’s case, and said there was evidence this was happening in courts throughout the state.
Robinson’s case was the first to be heard under North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act, a 2009 law that allows prisoners facing execution and capital murder defendants to present evidence of racial bias, including statistics, in court.
Weeks' ruling is expected to be the first of many involving condemned North Carolina inmates. Those who win their claims can have their sentences converted to life in prison without parole. The Racial Justice Act cannot be used to set anyone free.
"The Racial Justice Act represents a landmark reform in capital sentencing in our state," Weeks said in Fayetteville on Friday, according to The Associated Press. "There are those who disagree with this, but it is the law."
Social justice advocates have long contended that racism has put convicted killers on death row unfairly."
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Comments
I would imagine this law could save a lot of lives.
I'm not so sure they were found guilty though due to race nor sentenced to death
either because of the color of their skin.
It kind of assumes another person of the same race would not convict someone to death
which in the case of white on white etc makes no difference.
It feels like it's a loophole thing kind of.
In my mind if you are guilty you are guilty and if the punishment by law is death
it has nothing to do with race to a juror.
But for me I couldn't be on a jury like that because I would not be apart
of sentencing anyone to death whatever race whatever crime.
Others feel it is a just punishment, I understand that, but the Death Penalty is
not something I can endorse. I won't actively fight to have it abolished
but I can not condone it either.... core belief ... killing is wrong.
I agree with much of this and am opposed to the death penalty for similar reasons but also because green is often the most important color in the courts as well as our society in general. Money should never be the determinative factor in innocence or guilt but especially with life or death.
green is the most important color and with that comes the injustice