As a grassroots movement to end the North Carolina death penalty, we are focused on building relationships, educating the public, and decreasing death sentences.
Building Relationships
We prioritize getting to know one another and networking! We meet quarterly as a statewide coalition on Zoom and host in person and virtual events throughout the year. Currently, we host an Info Session and a Family Survivor Engagement Group which both meet monthly. Learn about upcoming meetings and events here. Sign up here to receive our monthly email newsletter. And follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram to stay up to date.
Educating the Public
We believe the more people know about the death penalty, the less likely they are to support it. In 2024, one of our primary educational organizing tools is Racist Roots. This comprehensive project, produced by our partners at The Center for Death Penalty Litigation, has now been distilled into a 25-minute video, which details the NC death penalty’s systemic racism. We facilitate Racist Roots screenings and panel discussion groups across the state. (Email to schedule a presentation.)
Decreasing Death Sentences
Until there is a more promising path to legislative repeal of the death penalty in North Carolina, we are actively working with Coalition partner organizations and local communities to decrease the number of people sentenced to death. Our primary focus now is gubernatorial commutations. We are continuing our crucially important Commutation Campaign in 2024, calling on Governor Cooper to commute all NC death sentences. We introduced the next step of that effort at our #NowistheTime rally on December 2nd in Raleigh: a postcard-writing campaign! Through this effort over the next few months, we will show Governor Cooper that North Carolinians are ready to end death row. By sending in thousands of postcards from all around our state, we will make it impossible for him to ignore the urgency of our call. We also maintain this website as a valuable resource for data, information, and compelling stories.
NCCADP is organizing in preparation for early 2024 RJA hearings as well. North Carolina’s landmark Racial Justice Act offers the possibility of broad relief through the courts, and NCCADP is supporting organizing efforts leading up to these hearings. We also engage and educate communities about district attorneys and their role in the death penalty. Additionally, we offer resources and support for community organizations, leaders, and defense teams in pursuit of reducing the number of capital trials and removing people from death row. (See a map of the current status of the NC death penalty.)