Bill to Make Executions More Secretive to be Heard by N.C. Senate Committee
RALEIGH – North Carolina could hide the source of lethal injection drugs used to execute prisoners on death row under a bill being considered by a state Senate committee tomorrow. HB 774 would also remove the requirement that a qualified physician be present at all executions and would instead allow any medical professional to assist in the execution. The bill has already been approved by the House.
“Decisions about life and death should not be made in secret,” said Sarah Preston, acting Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of North Carolina. “If North Carolina is going to continue to sentence people to death, the process must be transparent and accountable to the citizens in whose name this ultimate and irreversible penalty is carried out. As botched executions in Oklahoma and other states have shown, inadequate oversight of these procedures can have horrific consequences.”
WHAT: Senate Judiciary II Committee Hearing on HB 774
WHEN: 10 a.m., Thursday, July 23
WHERE: Room 1124/1224 LB of the North Carolina Legislative Building
Read the ACLU of North Carolina’s fact sheet on the bill here: http://www.acluofnorthcarolina.org/files/legislative/HB_774_Opposition_to_Restoring_Proper_Justice.pdf
Stay Informed
Every month, you'll receive regular roundups of the most important civil rights and civil liberties developments. Remember: a well-informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy policy.
The Latest in Capital Punishment
ACLU's Vision
The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.
Learn More About Capital Punishment
The Capital Punishment Project works toward the repeal of the death penalty in the United States through strategic litigation, advocacy, public education, and training programs for capital defense teams.