WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC-NC House panel OKs method on racial bias claims
Associated Press - May 12, 2009 7:45 PM ET
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - An effort to allow North Carolina prisoners to challenge their death sentences because of racial bias has received a big boost with passage by a Senate committee.
A Senate judiciary committee approved the North Carolina Racial Justice Act on Tuesday night, hours after a House panel narrowly passed a nearly identical bill.
The bill would allow those convicted of capital murder to argue race played a role in their death sentence or a prosecutor's decision to seek the death penalty. A judge could vacate the death sentence or order that capital punishment not be sought.
The House approved a similar bill two years ago, but the Senate never considered it before the 2-year session ended.
The next stop for both bills would be the House or Senate floor.
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