Veto debate follows NC legislature's vote to repeal state's capital Racial Justice Act

As reported in this local article from North Carolina, debate over the repeal of the state's controversial Racial Justice Act has now shifted from the state's legislature to the state's Governor's office.  Here are excepts of the story:

The state's prosecutors and Republican lawmakers rejoiced at Monday's Senate vote to repeal the heart of the Racial Justice Act.  Now attention turns to the governor.  Will she veto it or not?

In 2009, Gov. Bev Perdue signed the bill into law in a public ceremony flanked by key Democratic lawmakers, members of the African-American caucuses in the General Assembly and the NAACP.  She proclaimed that the new law, which allowed convicted murderers to use statistical arguments to get off death row, would help prevent racism in prosecution and sentencing.

Perdue, speaking at an event Tuesday in Charlotte, did not tip her hand. She said she would be talking to crime victims' families. "I'm a real strong supporter of the death penalty," Perdue said. "We should not allow discrimination based on race, poverty or any other factor to infect the criminal justice system. I'm thinking about it hard."

Even though the governor faces a tough re-election bid next year and wouldn't want to appear soft on crime, supporters of the Racial Justice Act are cautiously optimistic that will she stay firmly in the territory she staked out two years ago.

House Minority Leader Joe Hackney, in a statement Tuesday, said Perdue probably would veto the bill.  Democratic Sens. Doug Berger of Youngsville and Floyd McKissick of Durham said Tuesday they are optimistic she will use her veto stamp.  "We're fairly sure she's going to veto," NAACP attorney Al McSurely said. "Her support was critical in getting (the Racial Justice Act) passed."

Perdue has 30 days to decide.... If she vetoes, then the General Assembly probably will be ripe for another override fight.  It's not certain legislators can muster the votes, however.  The Senate might not have any trouble overriding the veto....  A party-line vote with everybody present would give senators more than enough to override.  

It would be harder in the House, where 72 votes are needed. The House mustered 64 Republican votes in favor of the bill, while all 52 Democrats voted against it; three Republicans were absent. House GOP leaders would need a scenario in which they retain all those votes and perhaps woo all five renegade Democrats who have broken ranks with their party on other issues. That would eke out 72 votes, but it's unlikely.

Campaigns are under way already to sway the governor.  The NAACP called on her to veto and also called on the House Democrats to stick together to resist an override.  People of Faith Against the Death Penalty issued a public statement Tuesday night calling on Perdue to veto.

The N.C. Conference of District Attorneys has been working for a long time to take the statistical evidence wording out of the Racial Justice Act.  The prosecutors will ask Perdue to sign the bill, SB9, Executive Director Peg Dorer said Tuesday.

Some older and newer related posts on the North Carolina Racial Justice Act: 

• Robust legislative debate over NC Racial Justice Act
• NC Racial Justice Act going to governor's desk
• NC Gov signs new racial justice act concerning capital prosecutions
• Will NC's new Racial Justice Act effectively kill the state's death penalty?
• New research suggests race of victim impacts NC death penalty administration
• NC defender officer urging that racial bias claims be brought in every capital case
• NC prosecutors bring complaints about state's Racial Justice Act to court
• State judge refuses to overturn Racial Justice Act in North Carolina
• Upcoming MSU symposium to examine North Carolina Racial Justice Act
• Talk of profound changes to North Carolina's potent Racial Justice Act
• North Carolina DAs urge state legislature to repeal Racial Justice Act
• Will NC legislature soon repeal its groundbreaking Racial Justice Act?