Black Lives Matter.
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
  • Programs
    • Ecumenical Immigration Alliance
      • Ideas for Action
      • Sign Our Statement
      • The NC Sanctuary Coalition
      • Immigration Bible Study
      • Contact
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Public Education
    • NC Sanctuary Coalition
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
    • NC No Torture
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Events
  • Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

Raleigh Report — House Votes to Gut Racial Justice Act

Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director · June 15, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Click here to sign up to receive the Raleigh Report in your inbox

The House of Representatives has voted 73-47 to gut the Racial Justice Act. The vote was on S 416, a bill originally about using tire retreads on school buses. The House stripped out the original content and replaced it with language limiting the use of statistical evidence to show racial bias in the death penalty. Because this was done by amending an already-passed Senate bill, S 416 will go back to the Senate only for a concurrence vote.

This comes after one court found the RJA to be constitutional and another court heard the first case under the law. In that case, Superior Court Judge Greg Weeks ruled for the defendant, overturned his death sentence and re-sentenced him to life in prison without parole. Judge Weeks found “a wealth of evidence showing the persistent, pervasive, and distorting role of race in jury selection throughoutNorth Carolina. The evidence, largely unrebutted by the State, requires relief in this case and should serve as a clear signal of the need for reform in capital jury selection proceedings in the future.”

In the face of an NC judge considering the evidence and finding a “persistent, pervasive, and distorting role of race,” the House of Representatives could have expressed its distress that racism in the courts determines who lives and who dies and called for reform in jury selection. Tragically, the House’s response was to gut the Racial Justice Act instead.

Suggested Action

1) E-mail or call your senator and ask him/her to vote against concurrence on S 416 and the gutting of the RJA.

2) E-mail or call the Governor’s office and ask her to veto this bill, if it comes to her desk, just as she vetoed last year’s effort to kill the RJA.

3) Click here to find out how your representative voted on S 416, and communicate with them your pleasure or disappointment at their vote. Reps. Brisson, Crawford, Hill, Owens, and Spear, who supported the preservation of the Racial Justice Act last year, voted to gut it yesterday. Their votes will be necessary to sustain a gubernatorial veto of S 416.

If you don’t know who represents you, click here and scroll down to “BY ZIP CODE”. Then to find contact information for your senator, click here. For contact info for your representative, click here.

To call Governor Perdue’s office: (919) 733-4240. Or e-mail her at governor.office@nc.gov.

–George Reed, Executive Director

Filed Under: Blog, Raleigh Report Tagged With: Civil Discourse, Civil Liberties, Criminal Justice, Death Penalty, Equality & Reconciliation, Good Government, Human Rights, Race/Ethnicity, Religion & Society

Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

About Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Aleta Payne first joined the Council staff in the spring of 2001 as the Communications Associate. She continues to oversee that work along with development, represents the Council in several partnership efforts, and serves in other administrative roles, as well. Aleta is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in government and foreign affairs and spent much of her early career as a journalist. She has three young adult sons who continue to come home to Cary for dinner, or at least groceries, and two young adult terrier-mix dogs who keep the nest from feeling too empty.

Reader Interactions

More Like This

Raleigh Report: Sidetrack for photo voter ID
Raleigh Report: Flawed deal to resurrect Silent Sam
Path to Fairer Maps, Better Government

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous comments or comments that target individuals will not be posted (please include your first and last name). All comments must be on topic and respectful. Comments will not be posted until they have been reviewed by a moderator. Comments do not reflect the positions of the NC Council of Churches.

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

Raleigh Report — House Votes to Gut Racial Justice Act

Latest Tweets

FACT: Countries where maternal mortality rates have significantly dropped (~ -50%) in the past few decades (e.g., France, Germany, Sweden), have generous paid leave laws. #BlackHistoryMonth #Paidleave #BlackHealth pic.twitter.com/PgWW…

About 14 hours ago

Call your Member of Congress and tell them paid leave is crucial to public health and economic recovery. Text paidleave (one word) to 844-955-2880 or visit bit.ly/39PWQde to begin. #AmericanRescuePlan #PaidLeave #BlackHealth

About 15 hours ago

“The foundation of our faith is, we are people of peace..." Read more about the dangerous bill that would allow concealed carry at churches with affiliated schools from @NCPolicyWatch and how we have responded. >>> pulse.ncpolicywatch.…

Yesterday

It's a beautiful day in the Triangle. Are you getting ready for that spring weather? 🌿🌺🍀 We are too!! Go to our store and check out our amazing tank tops quoting our motto: "Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice." ncchurches.org/store… pic.twitter.com/oAZr…

About 2 days ago

TOMORROW! Join us with Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman on Faith Communities Supporting Democracy. There is still time to register. Follow the link >>> ncchurches.org/event… pic.twitter.com/RO2O…

About 2 days ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

Amen! #MindfulTogether twitter.com/cornerpr…

About 12 hours ago

RT @MAHECwnc There has never been a better time to quit smoking and vaping. Protect your health by keeping your lungs healthy! #quitlinenc #covid19 #asheville pic.twitter.com/bKlC…

About 13 hours ago

Check out this new resource from @DrugPolicyOrg challenging us to dig deeper and work together to uproot the drug war. uprootingthedrugwar.… #harmreduction #mindfultogether

About 14 hours ago

Dr. Julian's work was instrumental to the public health community. We carry his passion as we continue reckoning with our past so that we may continue building the beloved community. Learn more about Dr. Julian's legacy at pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ju…. #BlackHistoryMonth @novapbs pic.twitter.com/JJsm…

About a day ago

Join Faith in Harm Reduction TODAY at 4 p.m. for the launch of their virtual Roundtable series! The first roundtable centers on the Black church and needs, opportunities, and challenges for harm reduction in that context. Register below: secure.everyaction.c… #MindfulTogether

About 2 days ago

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @greenthechurch Be sure to read Green The Church's COO Kim Noble's op ed, "#EnvironmentalJustice in Focus this #BlackHistoryMonth", in the Texas Metro News! @Kimrenay22 #Austin #DFW #Houston #Texas #SanAntonio #EJ ow.ly/mOtw50DGQnN pic.twitter.com/IPOO…

About 4 hours ago

RT @ActionAidUSA To build a truly just, equitable & sustainable world, we need to fight for a new #socialcontract. That means: ✔️ Defending democracy ✔️ Fighting for climate justice ✔️ Building equitable food systems ✔️ Supporting women’s leadership. Learn more: bit.ly/2M8xT40 pic.twitter.com/fEWv…

About 4 hours ago

RT @interfaithpower IPL is proud to be a signer on this letter. The U.S. must provide bold and socially just leadership to protect our communities from the impacts of climate change, including the threats to our economy- @sbhendershot twitter.com/RealBank…

About 4 hours ago

RT @interfaithpower "This is all of our country, this is our mother. It's difficult to not feel obligated to protect this land" - @DebHaalandNM with a powerful reminder of what she believes in. Her passion is exactly what we need right now; the Senate must #ConfirmHaaland! #ConfirmClimate

About 4 hours ago

RT @EPA EPA is proud to join our agency partners as we tackle the climate crisis and build a healthier, cleaner, more equitable future for all. Let’s do this! whitehouse.gov/brief…

About 2 days ago

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2021 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine