WWW.TRIANGLE TRIBUNE.COM The Triangle Slow death of capital punishment in NC Death penalty use in state falls to all- RIBUNE time low in spite of efforts to revise TTHE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE By Stephanie Carson N.C. NEWS SERVICE RALEIGH – The death penalty is on the books in North Carolina, but not VOLUME 17 NO. 39 $1.00 on the minds of the justice system. WEEK OF DECEMBER 27, 2015 There were no new death sentences this year in the Tar Heel State, and it's been nearly a decade since there was an execution in the state. Gretchen Engel, executive director of the Center for Death Penalty Litiga- What is the top HBCU tion, says public opinion has shown a significant shift in recent years. "The public at least has figured out that we don't need the death penalty, sports moment of and the legislators in Raleigh need to catch up with the public on where they 2015? Find out on are in terms of the death penalty," she said. The trend in North Carolina of a decrease in the use of capital punishment Sports 1B. mirrors the national trend. There were 26 executions in six states this year, the fewest since 1991. Juries handed down only 49 new death sentences, the fewest in the modern era, according to a report released by the Death Penalty Information Center. Engel also points to recent cases where it was proved that death row in- mates were wrongly convicted of their crime, and the financial cost of death ? Please seeSLOW/2A No school President suspensions, Obama noBy Latishaproblem? Catchatoorian grants
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