Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / May 26, 1977, edition 1 / Page 6
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6 The Tar Heel Thursday. May 26, 1977 For first degree murder; rape excluded hnnent ature en pun acts By STEPHEN HARRIS Staff Writer While most UNC students were vacationing, the N.C. General Assembly passed a new capital punishment law May 18. Beginning June 1 anyone convicted of first degree murder in North Carolina may face the gas chamber. The death penalty law applies to first degree (premeditated) murder or murder while certain felonies are being committed or attempted with a deadly weapon. Such a crime would involve two trials. The first trial would decide guilt or innocence. If the defendant is found guilty, a second trial would be held to decide if the defendant should be executed. Writers of the death law based it on the death penalty laws of Florida and Georgia, which have been judged constitutional. North Carolina is the 31st state to have capital punishment laws and the 10th state to enact one since the 1976 U.S. Supreme Court rulings on capital punishment. North Carolina's last death penalty was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Death was the sentence for first degree murder and rape, not given by a jury. Because of this, Raleigh's Central Prison became bloated with as many as 116 prisoners on death row, far more than any other state. The jury would go over a list of 10 "aggravating" circumstances (such as a defendant's record) and a list of nine "mitigating" circumstances (such as age). Jurors must agree on the aggravating circumstances outweigh the mitigating circumstances to give a death sentence. No one forsees any immediate executions in North Carolina. All death penalty cases must be reviewed by the N.C. Supreme Court and the American Civil Liberties Union is expected to test the new N.C. death law in the U.S. Supreme Court. Experts believe this process would take at least two years. The Senate began debate on the House's capital punishment bill on May 17. Five amendments were submitted during debate and all but one were rejected. The accepted amendment dealt with court procedure. The final Senate vote was 30-18. Hours before the death penaly became law, Gov. Jim Hunt said at a press conference that he would not commute any death sentences without good reason. "The law will be carried out,"Gov. Hunt said. "When the majority of people say through the proper processes this is our law to save lives and maximize life, for me to step in without good cause and say that I will abdicate by personal actions the will of the people is wrong." ST! 3 mnvme P4 0W6M is the place to be this Summer Granville Towers makes life a little easier for you so that you can enjoy Summer in Chapel Hill. Think of these six things: First, we are located adjacent to campus and downtown so that you don't have to worry about getting tied up in traffic, finding a parking place or missing your bus. You can walk or ride a bike to campus and still have your automobile available at Granville for whenever or whatever. Second, you don't have to worry about furnishings. Everything is provided at Granville Towers, not only beds and chairs and desks, etc. but also light bulbs, toilet paper, things you might forget when you are budgeting to live some place else. Third, we provide a meal plan suited to your complete Summer needs, including week-end travel. The room and 19 meal plan, including meals seven days a week costs only $7.40 a day. The room and 15 meal plan per week (with meals from Sunday evening through Friday lunch) costs only $6.73 a day for a seven day week. With all meals provided, you don't have to worry about the time and expense of shopping, preparing meals and cleaning the dishes, nor do you have to worry about where to get dishes, utensils, condiments, etc. Fourth, just to make it a little more easy, we provide weekly maid service and daily maintenance; we feel that you would rather be spending your time having fun, which brings up Fifth, a complete and active coeducational social program at Granville Towers. If you feel like you need some privacy once in a while, you have your room and the many semi-private lounges inside Granville Towers. But, if you want to meet the folks, go to the lower lounges and shoot a game of pool, play some ping pong, get some ice, play the pinball machine, sing around the piano, watch a big event on color TV or go to the coed sun deck on top of Granville East or go to the swimming pool and outside recreation area and enjoy the informal cook-outs, swimming, volleyball, badminton, basketball, etc. and the many parties and dances and Summer Olympics that we are planning this year; even your favorite beverages will be served. And, Sixth, if this isn't enough, inside it is all air conditioned. (In Chapel Hill it can get pretty warm in the Summertime.) This air conditioning as well as all other utilities are provided at no extra cost; again, you wouldn't have to budget any more. The cost is only $7.40 per day for everything, when you have 1 9 meals per week. The cost per day for seven day week is $6.73 when you have 15 meals per week. Give us a call at 929-7143, or better yet, come over for a visit to Granville South where you can see our Model Room any time night or day. All housing will be in Granville East this Summer. You can come over here any time night or day and get your room reservation. We are going to have a great time and hope that you will be with us to share in the fun. mm .11 fV University Square 929-7143 Gov. Hunt also announced a plan to supply first degree murder defendants with quality defense. "If we're going to have capital punishment," Gov. Hunt said, "we must be absolutely sure those charged with it have an excellent defense so that we don't discriminate against the poor." Because the Senate added one amendment, the bill was sent back to the House. The House interrupted its regular business to vote on the revised bill. Thirty minutes later North Carolina had a death penaltv. The controversial issue, at least in North Carolina, has been decided. Reactions "The people of North Carolina want justice and the only way we're going to give them justice to put this bill in force' Sen. Ollie Harris (Cleveland) "If the death penalty can save the life of one innocent person, it's worth the risk and we ought to take it." Rep. Ed Davenport (Nash) "There is a point in human conduct. . .where a person forfeits the right to life." Sen. Cecil Hill (Transylvania) "We've had capital punishment throughout the history of the world and I feel the people of North Carolina want to keep it." Rep. Robert Jones (Rutherford) "How sad that society has confused divine justice with public revenge." Sen. Fred Alexander (Mecklenburg) "We're playing with divine intervention when we talk about restoring the death penalty. It is obscene for North Carolina to adopt a policy of killing people." Rep. Patricia Hunt (Orange) "When we take a life, it cannot be restored." Rep. Richard Erwin (Forsyth) "It seems to me that the state has some obligation to set the moral tone, the philosophical tone for its people. There can't be any more premeditated (of a) killing than (an execution)" Sen. William Smith (New Hanover) "The state's policy is 'appropriate punishment. . .Surely, these people deserve no mercy." Sen. James McDuffie (Mecklenburg) Please turn to page 13. THIS WEEK'S MUSIC may 26 wtmty thvrtdoy BLUEGRASS EXPERIENCE 27 hidoy Saturday I 28 THE CONTENDERS Country Rock from Nashville 29 tundoy JAZZ NIGHT w PAUL MILESI and the ISLEY TRADITION 3 1 . tumsday - wdniday "T CRISPCHUCK ' Jazz 405 W. Rosemary 967-9053 (next to Tijouna Fat) rr
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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May 26, 1977, edition 1
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