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9 <br /> 1 WHEREAS, the death penalty has no proven public safety value and public support for executions <br /> 2 has reached historic lows (https://news.galIup.com/pol1/513806/new-low-say-death-penalty-fairly- <br /> 3 applied.aspx); and <br /> 4 <br /> 5 WHEREAS, millions of North Carolina taxpayers'dollars spent on the death penalty every decade <br /> 6 could be used for crime prevention and programs to offer assistance to murder victims' families; <br /> 7 <br /> 8 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners calls <br /> 9 on the Governor of North Carolina to use his broad clemency power to commute North Carolina's <br /> 10 136 death sentences to prison terms, therefore insuring that these outdated and unfair sentences <br /> 11 are never carried out. <br /> 12 <br /> 13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution shall be forwarded by Clerk to the <br /> 14 Board of Commissioners to the Governor of the State of North Carolina. <br /> 15 <br /> 16 This the 1st day of October, 2024. <br /> 17 <br /> 18 <br /> 19 Jamezetta Bedford, Chair <br /> 20 Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> 21 <br /> 22 A motion was made by Vice-Chair Greene, seconded by Commissioner Richards, to <br /> 23 approve the attached Resolution Calling on Governor Roy Cooper to Commute All North Carolina <br /> 24 Death Sentences to Prison Terms; and if approved, authorize the Chair to sign the resolution and <br /> 25 direct the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners to forward the signed resolution to the Governor <br /> 26 of the State of North Carolina. <br /> 27 <br /> 28 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 29 <br /> 30 Sally Freeman thanked Vice-Chair Greene and Commissioner Richards for bringing this <br /> 31 resolution forward and the Board for approving it. She said this Friday, walkers participating in the <br /> 32 136 mile walk across the state will be in Hillsborough at Mt. Bright Baptist Church. She said there <br /> 33 will be a community potluck and program and the Orange County Remembrance Coalition will be <br /> 34 sharing information about historic racial terror lynchings that have happened in Orange County. <br /> 35 She said they will be viewing the film Racist Roots which draws the connection between racial <br /> 36 terror lynching and the death penalty in North Carolina. She introduced NCCADP Executive <br /> 37 Director Noelle Nickle, and Nick Courmon. <br /> 38 Nick Courmon said he currently serves at the NCCADP Community Engagement <br /> 39 Coordinator and also does some spoken word and education as well. He thanked the Board for <br /> 40 adopting this resolution. He said from a moral, equity, and historical perspective, this is the right <br /> 41 decision to make. He said the modern death penalty is rooted in the past of racism and white <br /> 42 supremacy. He said Orange County no stranger to racial terror and named several victims of <br /> 43 racial terror here. He said many state leaders have been silent or lukewarm about the harm that <br /> 44 death penalties have, and it is imperative for all citizens to be trailblazers for truth and set <br /> 45 examples for others to follow. He said it is his hope and prayer that other governing bodies will <br /> 46 follow this resolution adopted by the Board tonight. <br /> 47 Noelle Nickle said she is the Executive Director for NCCADP. She said this 21-partner <br /> 48 coalition is committed to ending the death penalty and creating a new vision of justice rooted in <br /> 49 restorative justice, racial justice, and centering the voices of people most impacted. She said right <br /> 50 this moment, someone is being executed in Texas. She said he is the 611 person to be executed <br /> 51 in the last 10 days. She said this is why they are calling on Governor Cooper to take action so <br />