Agenda - 11-03-1999 - 8c - Laserfiche WebLink

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n A RESOLUTION CA4ING FOR A MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS WH;EREA;%, Throughout the a society sought ` s has so � ht to use pence - for crimes committed against citkens; and WHEREAS, ln.197,Z the United Stat".6uprome Court has reed tn'Furman v. Georgia that th4; procedurea used to implement the death .penalty were unconstitutional thereby halting executiona.M this nation until 1976.when the Supreme Court ruled in Q Qeor �C the use of the death,:penalty could be utilizdd:'` subject to safsguards ,.•for'-the tion of -the rights of the accused; and �} W"EREAS, The`u46(the dealt perielty as a capital punishment for therwiNful; deliberate and premedit#ted killing or:killing while committing another felony has been 4. deemed appropriately the..people of North Carolina and all of those currently awalting execution in North CaroljnaWwere convicted and sentenced ender the state's revised, capital punishment law which becne effective June 1, 1977; and WHEREAS, Since the reestablishment of the death penalty iq Ndth 'Carolina there haven technological advances, suc hu use of DNA testing, to assist in the,". determination of guy rind tt anhan bd ability of the accused to receive the necessary :.legal assistance i+ defend their rights as provided under the Constitution of the United States and the ConsfiPution of the State of North- Cbrolina; and WHEREAS, Even with, these advancements, recent events have show': that circumstances do- exist in which people coi1victed of capital crimes have beenwrongly< ° accused alit# ontencedd to death even though innocent; and WHEREAS,. Further discussion and deliberation of this 4ont6ntious Issue in light of these factors irmerited and the need to review the laws oi� this. State and the various court pr6ceedings and rulings affecting the usWof this punishment should be undertaken as expeditiously as possible due to the fact, „that approximately 197 persons in North Caroling are awaiting execution; and r WHERI FA 4, ”— ,Senators Eleanor Kinnaird and Howard N. Lee, have sponsored a bill in the 1999 Sessio n x of the General Assembly (Senate Bill 1102), � z c establishing a- moratorium'tm execrations in North Carolina; and WHEREAS, the Serrate has refwed the above mentioned biltto the Jud ciery Committee ll,, for further study; and NOW, THEREFORE, THE-6RANGE COUNTY .BOARD OF COUNTY ` COMMISSIONERS RESOLVE6: section 1. The- Board of County Commissioners calls on Governor Hur*and`our state 3 ,r legislators, President Clinton and our legislators in Congress, to enact and adopt legislation imposing. a moratoriWn on,execuions --at least until this state and the nation implement policaesand procures which: • Ensure that death penafty.cases are administered fairly and ftpartiatly, in accordance v40 basic due process; ,: u f