In a significant move towards criminal justice reform, the Orange County Board of Commissioners has passed a resolution urging Governor Roy Cooper to commute all death sentences in North Carolina to prison terms. This resolution comes amid a statewide initiative, the \"Walk for Commutation,\" which began on September 26 and aims to raise awareness for the 136 individuals currently on death row in the state.

The walk, organized by the North Carolina Commission for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, spans 136 miles from Winston-Salem to Raleigh, concluding on October 10, coinciding with World Day Against the Death Penalty. Participants are not only walking to highlight the risks faced by those on death row but are also engaging in discussions about the systemic issues within the criminal justice system, particularly the racial biases that have been documented in death penalty cases.

During the meeting, the resolution was read aloud, emphasizing the values of fairness and due process. It highlighted the troubling history of wrongful convictions, noting that since 1973, 200 innocent individuals have been exonerated from death row across the United States, including at least 12 in North Carolina. The resolution also pointed to the persistent racial inequities in the application of the death penalty, particularly the exclusion of Black individuals from capital juries and the disproportionate sentencing of Black men for crimes against white victims.

The Board underscored the financial implications of maintaining the death penalty, stating that taxpayer dollars could be better utilized for crime prevention programs. With public support for the death penalty at historic lows, the resolution calls for a reevaluation of its role in the state’s justice system.

The resolution was unanimously approved, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing dialogue about the future of capital punishment in North Carolina. Copies of the resolution will be forwarded to Governor Cooper, urging him to exercise his clemency powers to ensure that the sentences of those on death row are commuted.