People of Faith Against the Death Penalty Director Stephen Dear takes to the podium to praise State Reps. Larry Womhle
and Earline Par mini
RJA
from pu^e .4 7
legislation" thai will reduce
racial bias in the justice sys
tem.
"No matter how you feel
about the death penalty in
practice, it's a wasteland of
bias and errors," said Dear.
"The need for the Racial
Justice Act has been stark
and starkly evident."
Darryl Hunt was on hand
to praise the law and its spon
sors His Darryl Hunt Project
for Freedom and Justice
works to exonerate the
wrongfully-convicted and
helps those reentering socie
ty after incarceration. Hunt
spent 19 years in prison for a
murder he didn't commit and ?
was one vote away from get
ting the death penalty at his
trail. Hunt is African
American and the woman he
was convicted of killing was
white. His case vvas heard by
an all-white jury. He Was
convicted on circumstantial
evidence and exonerated
only after DNA tests were
conducted. Many see Hunt's
case as a prime example of
why the Racial Justice Act is
needed.
"There are so many peo
ple in North Carolina and
around this country who are
I
The crowd toasts the representatives.
imprisoned for something
they did not do. and if it was
not for great leaders like
Representative Womble and
Mrs Parmon and the folks in
this room, they'd be con
demned to ^ie in prison."
Hunt told attendees.
Hunt's connections to
both representatives go back
decades. Womble was among
the first group who visited
Hunt after his arrest in I4K4.
Parmon became like a moth
er to him in prison. Hunt
said.
Both representatives said
that the fight for the RJA was
long and hard. Parmon said
the\ both received threaten
ing phone calls over the bill
and their opponents often
falsely accused them of try
ing to ban the death penalty
and set murderers free.
"This bill was all about
just punishment and not any
thing else, not whether the
defendants were guilty or
innocent, but whether they
received a fair trial without
race playing an issue." said
Parmon.
Womble said it took "per
sistence. dedication, hard
work and tenacity" from a lot
of people to get the bill
passed. Though Kentucky
has a similar Racial Justice
Act. Womble says the one for
this state is stronger and.
unlike Kentucky's, is retroac
tive. Even during the trying
times, Womble said he had
no doubts about the RJA.
"Everyone says the bills
we sponsor are controversial
bills. I don't think they're
controversial, I think they're
the right bills." said Womble.
Wonible said he's heard
.that prosecutors are holding
back on seeking the death
penalty until the they see
how the RJA plays out.
A spokesperson with The
Center for Death Penalty
Litigation, which represents
indigent defendants accused
or convicted of a capital
crime, said its lawyers plan
to use the RJA on behalf of
its clients, but are waiting on
the results of a comprehen
sive state death penalty study
that is due out in August. The
non-profit law firm repre
sents about a third of those
on the state's death row.
Womble attended the
reception a day before leav
ing for Kenya, Africa to give
a commencement speech at
Great Lakes University of
Kisumu. Womble has visited
Africa annually for more
than a decade. He initiated a
program io this country that
resulted in thousands of
books being sent to Kenya
and other African countries
to be used by students and in
libraries and schools.
The Great Lakes
University graduation cere
mony included a special
guest - President Barack
Obama's grandmother, Sarah
Obama, who received an
honorary degree.
Locals earn
volunteer awards
SPK IAI. ro THI. CHRONIC! I
HandsOn Northwest North Carolina, in partnership with the
United Way of Forsyth County, presented 2010 Governor's
Awards tor Outstanding Volunteer Service to seven Forsyth
ffiuntv rt'vi/l^ntv
HandsOn, which works to I
Increase volunteerism and I
build the capacity of local I
nonprofits, presented the *
awards at a breaktast on 4
Thursday. April 29 at
Salemtowne. Winners were
selected b\ .1 volunteer com
mittee from 4<) diverse nomi
nees in seven categories.
This year's local winners
are: Jess Zirnrntmian (Adult
Volunteer); Peggy Roberts
(Senior Volunteer): Pete's k
Family Restaurant (Corporate
Volunteers); Rev. [)r Sir I
Walter Lee Mack Jr. (Special L
Events Volunteer); Cy
Fogleman (Youth Volunteer):
Dr. Sir Waller Lee Mack Jr.
John and Dinah Reece (Family Volunteers); and Triad Apartment
Association (Group or Team Volunteers).
The Governor's Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service
were first awarded bv the Governor's Office and its Commission
on Volunteerism and Community Serv ice in 1979.
Kidney Failure Alert
Fleet? Phospho Soda was a bowel cleanser people drank
to prepare for a colonoscopy before it was recalled after
an FDA warning. If you had kidney failure within two
months after drinking Fleet Phospho bowel cleansing
solution, you may be entitled to compensation.
Please call us at 1-800-920-6499.
The Law Office of
Michael W. Patrick
Chapel Hill. NC
Toll Free
1-800-970-3533
Cases may be referred to other counsel for principal responsibility
Our Military
Means Business
For Your Business.
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