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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
    • 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
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Search NC Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

Arbitrary Use

A death penalty as random as a lightning strike

Apr 8, 2019
States like North Carolina, have spent the last 47 years writing laws that — theoretically — allow us to cleanly sort those who deserve the death penalty from those who don’t. All these years later, it’s clear we have failed. Just look at the two most recent death penalty verdicts in North Carolina, in the cases of Seaga Gillard and James Bradley. One got a death sentence and one got life, and there is no rational reason why.... Read More →

A death penalty as random as a lightning strike

April 8, 2019 · Kristin Collins

States like North Carolina, have spent the last 47 years writing laws that — theoretically — allow us to cleanly sort those who deserve the death penalty from those who don’t. All these years later, it’s clear we have failed. Just look at the two most recent death penalty verdicts in North Carolina, in the cases of Seaga Gillard and James Bradley. One got a death sentence and one got life, and there is no rational reason why…. Read More →

Filed Under: Arbitrary Use, Latest News

Jimmy Morgan, smiling, in a checkered sweater and white collar

Resentenced to Life: Why justice matters, even for my guilty clients

Nov 14, 2018
Legally, there was a strong argument that even though Jimmy was guilty, he should never have been sentenced to death. The jury that sentenced him didn’t know that this impulsive crime was in part the product of several traumatic brain injuries, which began in childhood. If Jimmy were retried now, he would never receive a death sentence. No Buncombe jury has sentenced anyone to death since 2000.... Read More →

Resentenced to Life: Why justice matters, even for my guilty clients

November 14, 2018 · Kristin Collins

Jimmy Morgan, smiling, in a checkered sweater and white collar
Jimmy Morgan, smiling, in a checkered sweater and white collar

Legally, there was a strong argument that even though Jimmy was guilty, he should never have been sentenced to death. The jury that sentenced him didn’t know that this impulsive crime was in part the product of several traumatic brain injuries, which began in childhood. If Jimmy were retried now, he would never receive a death sentence. No Buncombe jury has sentenced anyone to death since 2000…. Read More →

Filed Under: Arbitrary Use, Guest Posts, Intellectual Disabilities, Latest News, Mental Disabilities, Why We Care

A young Nathan Bowie, age 4, smiling on a building's front stoop, in Philadelphia

NC, let’s take a hint from Washington: It’s time to end the racist death penalty

Oct 16, 2018
Last week, Washington became the 20th state to end the death penalty after its Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment is arbitrary and racially biased. If those are reasons to outlaw the death penalty, then it is surely time for the North Carolina death penalty to go. If anything, the death penalty in NC is more racist, more arbitrary, and threatens the lives of far more people.... Read More →

NC, let’s take a hint from Washington: It’s time to end the racist death penalty

October 16, 2018 · Kristin Collins

A young Nathan Bowie, age 4, smiling on a building's front stoop, in Philadelphia
A young Nathan Bowie, age 4, smiling on a building's front stoop, in Philadelphia

Last week, Washington became the 20th state to end the death penalty after its Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment is arbitrary and racially biased. If those are reasons to outlaw the death penalty, then it is surely time for the North Carolina death penalty to go. If anything, the death penalty in NC is more racist, more arbitrary, and threatens the lives of far more people…. Read More →

Filed Under: Abolition, Arbitrary Use, Declining Support, Declining Use, Latest News, Laws have Changed, but Sentences Remain Unexamined, National News, Racial Bias

Nathan Bowie and his father smiling, arms around each other

Why most of N.C.’s death row inmates never should have gotten the death penalty

Oct 9, 2018
After 12 years without an execution, many people believe the North Carolina death penalty is dead. That might be true — if it weren’t for the more than 140 people still on death row. A new report shows that, by today's standards, most of them shouldn't be there.... Read More →

Why most of N.C.’s death row inmates never should have gotten the death penalty

October 9, 2018 · Kristin Collins

Nathan Bowie and his father smiling, arms around each other
Nathan Bowie and his father smiling, arms around each other

After 12 years without an execution, many people believe the North Carolina death penalty is dead. That might be true — if it weren’t for the more than 140 people still on death row. A new report shows that, by today’s standards, most of them shouldn’t be there…. Read More →

Filed Under: Arbitrary Use, Declining Use, False Evidence, Innocence, Latest News, Laws have Changed, but Sentences Remain Unexamined, Mental Disabilities, Partner Spotlights, Public Opinion, Stories

A juror’s dilemma: The wrenching job of deciding another person’s right to live

Nov 9, 2017
A little-known aspect of the death penalty is its impact on jurors who must make life-and-death decisions without any of their usual support networks. For jurors, seeking trusted advice and doing independent research is an understandable impulse — but it's also against the law. ... Read More →

A juror’s dilemma: The wrenching job of deciding another person’s right to live

November 9, 2017 · Kristin Collins

A little-known aspect of the death penalty is its impact on jurors who must make life-and-death decisions without any of their usual support networks. For jurors, seeking trusted advice and doing independent research is an understandable impulse — but it’s also against the law.
… Read More →

Filed Under: Arbitrary Use, Improper Evidence and Unfair Trials, Latest News

Henry McCollum innocent man on death row

Why North Carolina’s death penalty is not for the “worst of the worst”

May 16, 2017
Prosecutors might tell you they need the death penalty to punish the “worst of the worst.” But in practice, that's not how the death penalty is used in North Carolina. Our state spends millions each year to pursue death sentences that are arbitrary and unnecessary, and uses the threat of death as a negotiation tactic to pressure defendants to accept plea bargains — sometimes putting innocent lives on the line.... Read More →

Why North Carolina’s death penalty is not for the “worst of the worst”

May 16, 2017 · Kristin Collins

Henry McCollum innocent man on death row
Henry McCollum innocent man on death row

Prosecutors might tell you they need the death penalty to punish the “worst of the worst.” But in practice, that’s not how the death penalty is used in North Carolina. Our state spends millions each year to pursue death sentences that are arbitrary and unnecessary, and uses the threat of death as a negotiation tactic to pressure defendants to accept plea bargains — sometimes putting innocent lives on the line…. Read More →

Filed Under: Arbitrary Use, Crime Lab, Declining Use, False Evidence, Guest Posts, Innocence, Latest News, National News

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123 West Main St., Suite 700
Durham, NC 27701
noel@nccadp.org
919-956-9545

The Latest via Twitter

Day 2 of an important hearing in KS. Focus on systemic racism and jury selection for death penalty trials. Thanks @brianwstull for keeping us posted #RacistRoots twitter.com/brianwst…

About 9 hours ago

Creating a new vision of justice starts with a new vision of safety! twitter.com/Emancipa…

About a day ago

Curious about this approach. What would you share?Want to help The N&O deepen criminal justice reporting? Share tips here. newsobserver.com/new…

About 4 days ago

Discrimination is not an accident. Prosecutors are trained for it. Follow the link for details on how to attend or watch this case before our state's highest court on Feb 8. #RacistRoots #NCDeathPenalty #CooperCommute twitter.com/RDunhamD…

About 4 days ago

RT @Kelan_Lyons They packed the courtroom early, filling so many seats that a line stretched out the door. In the past, many of the onlookers had been in handcuffs, jails and prison cells. Now, they wanted access to the ballot box A @NCPolicyWatch/@boltsmag collaboration ncpolicywatch.com/20…

About 4 days ago

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