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Study: SBI scandal changing North Carolinians view of death penalty CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT A non-profit agency that works to ensure that capital defendants get fair trials is applauding the results of a recent survey that shows that more than two-thirds of North Carolinians believe executions should be halted in the wake of the SBI scandal. In the summer, an audit showed that the State Bureau of Investigation, whose lab processes physical evidence for virtually every trial in North Carolina, had withheld or misrepresented the results of blood tests that would have been favorable to the defendants in more than 2()0 cases. In three of those cases, the defen dants had already been executed, and four more are on death row. The state is looking at ways to reform the lab's practices, but few concrete changes have been made and none of the taint ed cases have been fully investigated. Public Policy Polling surveyed 517 North Carolina voters between Nov. 19 and Nov. 21. Eighty percent of respondents identified themselves as either moderate or conservative, and half of those surveyed voted for John McCain in 2008. Sixty-eightj>ercent of people sur veyed said executions should be halt Kleinschmidt ed until prob lems with blood tests at the State Bureau of Investigation are fully investigated. Fifty-eight percent of respondents believe a finding of racial bias should prohibit an execu tion, and more than two-thirds say that they are willing to consider end ing the death penalty due to the high cost of capital punishment, a new poll shows. "This poll showed us that people of all political affiliations have grave concerns about how the death penalty is used in North Carolina." said Mark Kleinschmidt, executive director of the Fair Trial Initiative in Durham. "We all care about truth, fairness and efficiency in a system that hands down the ultimate punishment. "The voters clearly told us that they do not want people to be execut ed unless we can be absolutely sure that they got a fair trial," said Kleinschmidt. "Right now, there are just too many questions hanging over our capital punishment'system." Also in the summer, a comprehen sive study revealed that racial bias still taints capital trials. The study, by researchers at Michigan State University School of Law, showed that those convicted of killing white victims are almost three times as likely to get a death sentence as those who kill minorities. The study also found that black jurors are being disproportionately excluded from capital juries. Photo* by Lay la Farmer From left: Class participants Patricia Conrad, Constance Grier, Geraldine Garbutt, Linda Batts and James Gilliam. Computers from JxtiifA I pily typing away at a com puter two times a week at the Winston-Salem Urban League. She has learned how to send an email, and is thrilled at the opportunities her growing skill set will afford her. "It gives me courage to want to go further and learn some other things too," remarked the great grand mother of seven. Conrad is one of many senior citizens who are crossing the digital divide with the help of the Urban League's Digital Inclusion Initiative (DID, which uti lizes peer coaches (ages 55 and up) and a self-paced learning model to promote computer literacy among seniors. "The idea was to get sen iors computer literate, whether it is for a job or whether it is to stay in con tact with friends, family and church members," Program Coordinator Clay Ragan said of DII, which is offered to people age 50 and up free of charge. "Our goal is to give them a firm foundation that they can build on and explore on their own." The social interaction with peers is also a draw for many seniors. Ragan said. Constance Grier has worked part time as a peer coach for the last year. Grier, 58, spent 27 years at Wachovia bank before being laid off in 2003. She enrolled in the Urban League's > Senior Employment Program and soon found a place where her computer skills were needed "It's awesome." she said of being a peer coach. "I just get such pleasure from help ing the seniors, and they get so excited." The DII. which is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and disseminated through Senior Service America, was piloted in four sites last year, and expanded to include the maximum 12 sites in an eight county area in Northwest NC because of the overwhelming response. Ragan explained Three hun dred and seventy five sen James Gilliam works on an exercise on Generations Online. iors have taken advantage of the program in Winston Salem alone. he said. The classes use a" program called Generations Online, which is geared specifically towards older adults. Through the program, they learn^ how to type, use a mouse, send an email, and even chat online with fourth graders from across the country and abroad. As many as 60 seniors visit the Urban League's 15-comput er lab on a weekly basis to take part in the classes. Among them is Geraldine Garbutt. Garbutt, a 60 year-old Winston Salem native, spent 35 years in New York City before returning to her childhood home. She had taken com puter classes at the World Trade Centers prior to the devastating September 1 1 attacks, but said it didn't stick with her. This time around. Garbutt, a grand mother of seven, says things are starting to click. "Now, I can't stay away from the keyboard," she declared, adding that she enjoys playing jigsaw puzzle and word games on the com puter. "It's awesome: it just gets me going. Sometimes, 1 stay on the computer for hours!" Peer Coach Linda Batts, a former LPN from Detroit. Michigan, says she is honing her own computer skills as she helps the others along. Batts, 62. says she under stands the anxiety some of her students feel about com puters. "I just say, 'Look, you're smart people, you can do this,"' she related. '"You just have to let go of that resistance, like I did, and learn something new.'" Eighty eight year-old James Gilliam. was well into his retirement from RJ Reynolds before the Computer Age took hold. During the time Gilliam was coming up, most of the information he got was "through the grapevine." as he puts it. But many of his friends have honed their computer skills, and Gilliam said he succumbed to the peer pressure. The great grandfather of three says he's glad he did. "It's amazing, just what you can find out and what you can learn," he said. The Urban League part ners with other local agen cies and is always looking for new students for the pro gram, which the Urban League will take over fund ing for at the start of the 201 1 fiscal year, Ragan said At 25. computer literacy was hardly ever a question for him, but Ragan says he has learned man> other things from the seniors in the pro gram. "For me, it was so cool when I started because I got to interface with the sen iors," related the UNC alum nus. "I was teaching them stuff and they were teaching me stuff. They give me all! sorts of advice. It's been a learning experience for everybody." For more information about the Digital Inclusion Initiative, contact Raean at JJ6-725-56I4. ext. JOON The North Carolina Black Repertory Co. 610 Coliseum Drive, W inston-Salem, NC Director/ Choreographer Mabel Robinson Musk Director Tony GIIUoo Arts Council Theatre, 610 Coliseum Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27106 ONLY 4 PERFORMANCES LEU December 17 and 18 (a H:00pm December 18 (&3:00pm - This performance ONLY - All seats $15.00 December 19 (m 3:00pm Adults $22.00 - Seniors/Students SI 8.00 - Children 12 and under S15.00 GROUP RATES ARE AVAILABLE For information and ticket purchases call (336) 723-2266 or visit www.nbtf.org ? Downtown Ticket Outlet: Body & Soul. 545 N. Trade Street (Downtown Arts District) BLACK THEATRE IS FOR EVERYONE! CofS& T"W? pffcrt was Mpportrd b> tW V C. Art* ( ovarii a the l)rpmrtmrmi mi < vttaraJ Rmmtv MILTON RHODES CENTER ARTS hanes brands THEATRE presents " Jazz in ' Up the Holiday Season " with concerts featuring some on the Triad's most well known jazz musicians Matt Kendrick & Chris Murrell Friday, December 17th 8:30 PM Tickets $15 Hanesbrands Theatre 209 North Spruce Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Surrender, Triad's final performance of the hit gospel play by Peachanda DuBose Saturday, December 18th at 7:00 PM Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door For tickets contact the Hanesbrands Theatre Box Office at (336) 747-1414 or www.rhodesartcenter.org. Warts council WHHTO?U> ? M T?? fOUWTt * sorts ^Innovation WINSTON - S A i t M
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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