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NC Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

Committed to ending the death penalty and creating a new vision of justice

  • Who We Are
    • Mission & History
    • Our Values
    • People Most Proximate
    • Coalition Members
    • Staff, Board, & Advisory Council
    • Our Funders
  • What We Do
  • Why End the Death Penalty?
    • Column 1
      • Racism
      • Innocence
      • Intellectual Disability & Mental Illness
    • Column 2
      • Public Safety
      • High Cost of Death
      • Waning Support
    • Column 3
      • Lethal Injection
      • Antiquated Sentences
      • Unfair Trials
  • Events
  • The Pledge
  • Blog
  • Commutations Campaign
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Search NC Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

Liv Perkins-Davenport

Martin Luther King, Jr. leans over a podium while giving a speech.

Honoring the Legacy of Nonviolence by Ending the Death Penalty

Jan 19, 2026
Each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we honor a life devoted to justice, equality, and the transformative power of nonviolent action. While Dr. King is most often remembered […]

Honoring the Legacy of Nonviolence by Ending the Death Penalty

January 19, 2026 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

Martin Luther King, Jr. leans over a podium while giving a speech.
Martin Luther King, Jr. leans over a podium while giving a speech.

Each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we honor a life devoted to justice, equality, and the transformative power of nonviolent action. While Dr. King is most often remembered […]

Filed Under: Blog, Racial Bias Tagged With: MLK Day, Racial Justice

The Forgotten Veterans on North Carolina’s Death Row

Nov 11, 2025
Each November, America honors those who served in the armed forces. We speak of courage and sacrifice, of the price of freedom and the duty of remembrance. But in North […]

The Forgotten Veterans on North Carolina’s Death Row

November 11, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

Each November, America honors those who served in the armed forces. We speak of courage and sacrifice, of the price of freedom and the duty of remembrance. But in North […]

Filed Under: Abolition, Blog, Mental Illness Tagged With: North Carolina Death Penalty, Veterans

The Death Penalty Protects No One: Gathering for Healing, Justice, and Hope

Oct 16, 2025
On a golden October afternoon in Asheville, community members gathered for “The Death Penalty Protects No One: What We Need Instead,” a World Day Against the Death Penalty event hosted […]

The Death Penalty Protects No One: Gathering for Healing, Justice, and Hope

October 16, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

On a golden October afternoon in Asheville, community members gathered for “The Death Penalty Protects No One: What We Need Instead,” a World Day Against the Death Penalty event hosted […]

Filed Under: Abolition, Blog, Cost, Crime Deterrence, Criminal Justice Reform, Declining Support, Failure to Deter Crime, Failure to Serve Victims Tagged With: North Carolina Death Penalty

Press Release: The Death Penalty Protects No One: Asheville Event Calls for Alternatives to State Violence

Oct 6, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 10, 2025 Contact: Liv Perkins-Davenport, (919) 404-7409 ASHEVILLE – On Saturday, October 11 from 3:30-6:30 PM, community leaders, survivors of violence, and justice advocates will gather […]

Press Release: The Death Penalty Protects No One: Asheville Event Calls for Alternatives to State Violence

October 6, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 10, 2025 Contact: Liv Perkins-Davenport, (919) 404-7409 ASHEVILLE – On Saturday, October 11 from 3:30-6:30 PM, community leaders, survivors of violence, and justice advocates will gather […]

Filed Under: Blog, Press Release Tagged With: innocence, Mass Incarceration, North Carolina Death Penalty, Racial Justice, Wrongful Convictions

Press Release: Governor Stein Signs HB 307 Into Law, Reviving Failed Death Penalty Policy

Oct 3, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 3, 2025 Contact: Noel Nickle, (828) 775-9912 RALEIGH – Governor Josh Stein signed HB 307 into law today, a measure that revives North Carolina’s failed death […]

Press Release: Governor Stein Signs HB 307 Into Law, Reviving Failed Death Penalty Policy

October 3, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 3, 2025 Contact: Noel Nickle, (828) 775-9912 RALEIGH – Governor Josh Stein signed HB 307 into law today, a measure that revives North Carolina’s failed death […]

Filed Under: Blog, Press Release Tagged With: North Carolina Death Penalty, Racial Justice, Wrongful Convictions

Statement on Governor Stein’s Signing of HB 307

Oct 3, 2025
Today, Governor Stein signed HB 307 into law. While this marks the latest chapter in North Carolina’s debate over the death penalty, it does not move our state closer to […]

Statement on Governor Stein’s Signing of HB 307

October 3, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

Today, Governor Stein signed HB 307 into law. While this marks the latest chapter in North Carolina’s debate over the death penalty, it does not move our state closer to […]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: North Carolina Death Penalty, Racial Justice, Wrongful Convictions

Press Release: HB 307 Would Bring Torturous Execution Methods to North Carolina

Sep 23, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RALEIGH — A late amendment to House Bill 307 (“Iryna’s Law”) seeks to expand North Carolina’s execution methods to include firing squads and other inhumane practices, intensifying […]

Press Release: HB 307 Would Bring Torturous Execution Methods to North Carolina

September 23, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RALEIGH — A late amendment to House Bill 307 (“Iryna’s Law”) seeks to expand North Carolina’s execution methods to include firing squads and other inhumane practices, intensifying […]

Filed Under: Blog, Press Release Tagged With: North Carolina Death Penalty

At the Gates of Central Prison: The Vigil That Will Not End

Sep 19, 2025
Every Monday evening, advocates gather at the gates of Central Prison in Raleigh to deliver the same message: North Carolina does not need the death penalty. They’ve been saying it […]

At the Gates of Central Prison: The Vigil That Will Not End

September 19, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

Every Monday evening, advocates gather at the gates of Central Prison in Raleigh to deliver the same message: North Carolina does not need the death penalty. They’ve been saying it […]

Filed Under: Abolition, Blog, Declining Support, Partner Spotlights, Stories Tagged With: Mass Incarceration, North Carolina Death Penalty, Partner Event, Racial Justice

NCCADP Calls for Meaningful and Effective Responses to Recent Violence

Sep 12, 2025
The North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty joins others across the state in mourning the tragic killing of Iryna Zarutska. Our hearts are with those whose lives […]

NCCADP Calls for Meaningful and Effective Responses to Recent Violence

September 12, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

The North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty joins others across the state in mourning the tragic killing of Iryna Zarutska. Our hearts are with those whose lives […]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: North Carolina Death Penalty

We Keep Us Alive: Death Penalty Abolition, Imagination, Resistance

Aug 21, 2025
On Saturday, August 16, nearly 80 people from across North Carolina gathered at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh for We Keep Us Alive: An Afternoon to Remember Those Executed […]

We Keep Us Alive: Death Penalty Abolition, Imagination, Resistance

August 21, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

On Saturday, August 16, nearly 80 people from across North Carolina gathered at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh for We Keep Us Alive: An Afternoon to Remember Those Executed […]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Execution Anniversary, Mass Incarceration, North Carolina Death Penalty, Racial Justice

Press Release: 19 Years Without an Execution: North Carolinians to Hold Vigil, Envision a Future Without the Death Penalty

Aug 15, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 15 August 2025 Contact: Liv Perkins-Davenport, Director of Communications, (919) 404-7409 RALEIGH – On Saturday, August 16, the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty […]

Press Release: 19 Years Without an Execution: North Carolinians to Hold Vigil, Envision a Future Without the Death Penalty

August 15, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 15 August 2025 Contact: Liv Perkins-Davenport, Director of Communications, (919) 404-7409 RALEIGH – On Saturday, August 16, the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty […]

Filed Under: Blog, Press Release Tagged With: Execution Anniversary, North Carolina Death Penalty, Press Release

Juneteenth, Mass Incarceration, and the Death Penalty in North Carolina

Jun 24, 2025
Juneteenth focuses our attention and joy on Black and Brown people and calls on everyone to embrace the wisdom of people most affected by systemic injustice. If you’re asking yourself […]

Juneteenth, Mass Incarceration, and the Death Penalty in North Carolina

June 24, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

Juneteenth focuses our attention and joy on Black and Brown people and calls on everyone to embrace the wisdom of people most affected by systemic injustice. If you’re asking yourself […]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: 13th Amendment, Black History, Caledonia Prison Farm, Criminal Justice Reform, Juneteenth, Mass Incarceration, North Carolina Death Penalty, Racial Justice, Wrongful Convictions

A black-and-white photo of a 1989 LGBTQ+ pride march in Raleigh, North Carolina. Marchers hold a banner reading “Stonewall to Raleigh: Twenty Years of Pride, Struggle & Liberation!” surrounded by balloons and signs, flanked by motorcycles.

Pride and Prejudice: The Death Penalty’s Impacts on LGBTQ+ People

Jun 13, 2025
Within the rigid rituals of the courtroom, identity is exposed, distorted, and at times, weaponized. For LGBTQ+ individuals facing capital charges, the intersection of queerness and the death penalty is […]

Pride and Prejudice: The Death Penalty’s Impacts on LGBTQ+ People

June 13, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

A black-and-white photo of a 1989 LGBTQ+ pride march in Raleigh, North Carolina. Marchers hold a banner reading “Stonewall to Raleigh: Twenty Years of Pride, Struggle & Liberation!” surrounded by balloons and signs, flanked by motorcycles.
A black-and-white photo of a 1989 LGBTQ+ pride march in Raleigh, North Carolina. Marchers hold a banner reading “Stonewall to Raleigh: Twenty Years of Pride, Struggle & Liberation!” surrounded by balloons and signs, flanked by motorcycles.

Within the rigid rituals of the courtroom, identity is exposed, distorted, and at times, weaponized. For LGBTQ+ individuals facing capital charges, the intersection of queerness and the death penalty is […]

Filed Under: Blog

Learning the Landscape: Reflections from My First Weeks with NCCADP

Jun 6, 2025
There’s a stillness that sits just beneath the surface of this work. A quiet that isn’t silence exactly, but a kind of hum – steady, insistent. It follows you home […]

Learning the Landscape: Reflections from My First Weeks with NCCADP

June 6, 2025 · Liv Perkins-Davenport

There’s a stillness that sits just beneath the surface of this work. A quiet that isn’t silence exactly, but a kind of hum – steady, insistent. It follows you home […]

Filed Under: Blog

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3326 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.
Building D, Suite 201
Durham, NC 27707
noel@nccadp.org
919-404-7409

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Martin Luther King, Jr. was a dedicated death pena Martin Luther King, Jr. was a dedicated death penalty abolitionist. This MLK Day, we reflect on the connection between Dr. King's legacy of nonviolence and the movement to abolish the death penalty.

In 1952, at the young age of 16, Alabama high school student Jeremiah Reeves was accused of sexually assaulting a white woman. In a rushed trial, an all-white jury sentenced him to die. His defense argued that law enforcement had coerced his confession by strapping him to an electric chair and threatening to flip the switch immediately unless he declared his guilt. 

Reeves spent 6 years on death row as his case moved through the appeals process. Dr. King became a strong advocate for Reeves, but the state still put him to death. In 1958, just 9 days after Reeves' killing, Dr. King led a march, the Prayer Pilgrimage, to the steps of the Alabama capitol. In front of a crowd of more than 2,000 people, Dr. King boldly proclaimed the injustices of the death penalty: "It is the severity and inequality of the penalty that constitutes the injustice."

Reeves' execution was a flashpoint for civil rights advocates, one of a long series of injustices that fueled the Montgomery bus boycott and the Civil Rights Movement more broadly.

Throughout his life, Dr. King repeatedly spoke out against the death penalty, which he saw as racist, brutal, antiquated, and fundamentally in opposition to his theory of nonviolence. 

Read more about how we can honor Dr. King's legacy by ending the death penalty on our website: nccadp.org/mlk-day-2026

#NoMoreDeathRow #MLKDay #MartinLutherKingJr #EndTheDeathPenalty
Ready to get mobilized? Join us Tuesday, January 2 Ready to get mobilized? Join us Tuesday, January 27 for our first Death Penalty 101 session of the year! 

Learn about the state of capital punishment in North Carolina, including ways you can get involved in the movement to end state killing. If you're ready to plug in, this is the place to start.

When: Tuesday, January 27 from 5:30-6:30 PM
Where: Zoom 

Register at bit.ly/NCCADPJan2026 or at the link in our bio.

#NoMoreDeathRow #EndTheDeathPenalty #NCCADP #DeathPenalty101
One year ago today, Governor Cooper, on his final One year ago today, Governor Cooper, on his final day in office, announced commutations for 15 men on death row. This news came at the close of our multi-year Commutations Campaign – a testament to the power of this community's organizing and advocacy.

A year later, we continue to rejoice for these 15 lives spared:

Hasson Bacote
Isiah Barden
Nathan Bowie
Rayford Burke
Elrico Fowler
Cerron Hooks
Guy LeGrande
James Little
Robbie Locklear
Lawrence Peterson
William Robinson
Christopher Roseboro
Darrell Strickland
Timothy White
Vincent Wooten

Victories like these remind us what's possible when people resist and dare to imagine something better. 

Even after these commutations, North Carolina continues to have the 5th largest death row in the nation. Here at NCCADP, we will not stop working until the racist, error-prone, and inhumane death penalty is no longer a threat in North Carolina.

If you believe in a future without the death penalty, one great way to show your support is with your dollars. Consider making a tax-deductible gift to NCCADP at nccadp.org/donate or donating by mail at 3326 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Building D, Suite 201, Durham, NC 27707.
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