RALEIGH, NC – The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina praised Governor Roy Cooper for commuting the death sentences of 15 people. Today’s commutations, the first of this scale in North Carolina and one of the largest death row commutations in history, are a major step to addressing the harms of the death penalty in North Carolina, which has the 5th largest death row in the country.
Chantal Stevens, executive director of ACLU of North Carolina, had the following statement:
“With this action, Governor Cooper has commuted more death sentences than any governor in North Carolina’s history and joins the ranks of a group of courageous leaders who used their executive authority to address the failed death penalty. We have long known that the death penalty in North Carolina is racially biased, unjust, and immoral, and the Governor’s actions today pave the way for our state to move towards a new era of justice.
“This historic decision, following President Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of 37 people on federal death row, reflects growing recognition that the death penalty belongs in our past, not our future. With 121 people still on death row in our state, we know there is much more work to be done to realize that vision, and the ACLU of North Carolina will continue to advocate for the end of the death penalty once and for all."
A statement from the ACLU’s national office can be found here: https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/petitioner-in-landmark-racial-justice-case-in-north-carolina-receives-commutation-of-death-sentence-from-gov-roy-cooper