NC House Takes Up Anti-Bias Death Penalty Bill

  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina legislative committee has
narrowly advanced a bill supporters say could counteract racial
bias that might put a murder defendant on North Carolina’s death row.
   

Democrats on a House judiciary committee voted 7-6 Tuesday to
recommend a bill called the Racial Justice Act. It would allow a
judge to rule out capital punishment before or after a murder trial
on the basis of race.
   

The defendant could use data or other evidence to try to prove
race was a significant factor in a prosecutor’s decision to seek
the death penalty or for jurors to impose it.
   

The Senate earlier approved a version that would remove legal
obstacles that have blocked executions since 2006. The House
stripped out those changes.