The Honorable Michael F. Easley
The Honorable James B. Black
The Honorable Richard T. Morgan

Dear Sirs:

We write to urge your support for a two-year suspension of executions in our State during which time the General Assembly will be able to study our system of capital punishment.

The undersigned are a diverse and bipartisan group of North Carolina citizens. Some of us believe the death penalty is used too sparingly, while others believe it should not be used at all. We all believe, though, that legitimate concerns about the fairness and accuracy of our system of capital punishment exist and must be addressed. We are even more convinced of this fact in light of the several recent cases in which sentences of death have been overturned by our state courts.

We are confident that after careful review, our legislature can identify and enact reforms that will ensure the fairness of the system and, most critically, guarantee no innocent person is wrongfully convicted or executed.

We are proud to be citizens of this great state and support its historical and demonstrated commitment to justice. We believe this is an issue of such importance that it rises above politics and calls upon us all to stand tall for justice and North Carolina. Your support of Senate Bill 972 will do just this.

Thank you sincerely for your time and consideration of this most significant issue.

Very truly yours,

Honorable Steve Allen, former N.C. Superior Court Judge, Board Member, N.C. Commission on Indigent Defense Services
Melvin "Skip" Alston, President, N.C. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Honorable Jerry S. Alvis Sr., former N.C. Superior Court Judge, National Board Director, American Board of Trial Advocates
Franklin P. Anderson, Trustee, N.C. Central University and former Chief Executive Officer, Custom Molders
L.M. Baker, Jr., former Chairman of the Board, Wachovia Corporation, former Chair, N.C. Citizens for Business and Industry (NCCBI)
Garland B. Baker, former N.C. Assistant District Attorney
Frank W. Ballance, Jr., U.S. Representative, N.C. 1st District and former N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore
Katharine T. Bartlett, Dean and A. Kenneth Pye Professor of Law, Duke University
Charles L. Becton, former Associate Judge, N.C. Court of Appeals, former President, N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers
Harold J. Bender, former Assistant United States Attorney, N.C. Western District
Honorable Walter H. Bennett, Jr., former N.C. District Court Judge
Doris Betts, Author, former Professor of English, UNC-Chapel Hill, and winner of 1994 Southern Book Critics Circle Award
Paul L. Bidwell, former N.C. Assistant District Attorney
Bishop Leonard Bolick, N.C. Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Salisbury, N.C.
Rhoda B. Billings, former Chief Justice, N.C. Supreme Court, Professor of Law at Wake Forest University, Board Member, N.C. Commission on Indigent Defense Services Commission
William L. Bondurant, former Executive Director, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, former N.C. Secretary of Administration
Honorable Robert B. Browning, former Associate Justice, N.C. Supreme Court
Sally Buckner, Poet and Editor of Word and Witness: 100 Years of North Carolina Poetry
Leah M. Broker, President, Board of Western Carolinians For Criminal Justice, past President, N.C. Association of Women Attorneys
Kenneth S. Broun, Professor of Law and former Dean, UNC-Chapel Hill, and former Mayor, Town of Chapel Hill
Robert J. Brown, Chairman, B&C Associates, Member, Board of Directors, Wachovia Corporation, former Special Assistant to President Richard M. Nixon
Wade E. Byrd, former President, N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers
Stephen W. Camp, Southern Conference, United Church of Christ
Jennifer Thompson Cannino, N.C. Victim of Violent Crime
Alfred P. Carlton, Jr., President, American Bar Association
Honorable J. Phil Carlton, former Associate Justice, N.C. Supreme Court and former Secretary, N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety
Julius L. Chambers, Director, Civil Rights Center, UNC-Chapel Hill, former Chancellor, N.C. Central University, former Director-Counsel, Legal Defense Fund of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Donna Chavis, Executive Director, Native Americans in Philanthropy
Joseph B. Cheshire, V, Chair, N.C. Commission on Indigent Defense Services
Dave Cloutier, Retired N.C. State Bureau of Investigation Agent and former Trainer, N.C. Justice Academy
Honorable Janice McKenzie Cole, former U.S. Attorney, N.C. Eastern District, former N.C. District Court Judge, former Police Officer
Carolyn Q. Coleman, Commissioner, Guilford County Board of Commissioners
Charisse Coleman, Writer and Sister of Murder Victim
Janet Cowell, Raleigh City Council Member
Hal Crowther, Journalist and 1992 Winner of the H.L. Mencken Writing Award
Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, Bishop Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina
Rt. Rev. Clifton Daniel, 3rd, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina
Gregory Davis, President, N.C. Association of Black Lawyers
Charles Edward Daye, Professor of Law, UNC-Chapel Hill, former Dean, N.C. Central University Law School, and Executive Secretary, N.C. Association of Black Lawyers, 1979-99
Walter E. Dellinger, III, Professor of Law, Duke University and former Acting Solicitor General of the United States
Rabbi Lucy H. F. Dinner, Raleigh Temple Beth Or
Alfred Dixon, Mayor, Greenevers, N.C., President, N.C. Association of Black Mayors, President, Multi-State Contracting Corporation
Ariel Dorfman, Walter Hines Page Research Professor of Literature and Latin American Studies, Duke University
Martin Eakes, Executive Director, Self-Help Credit Union
Clyde Edgerton, Author and 1997 Winner of N.C. Award for Literature
Honorable James G. Exum, Jr., former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of North Carolina
James E. Ferguson, II, former President, N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers
Tom W. Fewel, Father of Murder Victim
William C. Friday, President Emeritus, University of North Carolina System
Honorable Henry E. Frye, former Chief Justice, N.C. Supreme Court and former N.C. State Senator and Representative, former Assistant U.S. Attorney, N.C. Middle District
Honorable James C. Fuller, Jr., former Associate Judge, N.C. Court of Appeals, former President of N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers
Robert Galbraith, General Director, Opera Company of N.C.
Johnny S. Gaskins, former State Bureau of Investigation Agent
J. Gary Gloster, Bishop Suffragan, Diocese of North Carolina
James F. Goodmon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Capitol Broadcasting Company
Allan Gurganus, Author and former American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow
Bill Guthridge, Coach Emeritus, UNC-Chapel Hill Men's Basketball Team
R. Darrell Hancock, former N.C. Associate Attorney General and Z. Smith Reynolds Board Member
Paul Hardin, Professor of Law and former Chancellor, UNC-Chapel Hill
Andrea Harris, President, Institute for Minority Economic Development
Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics, Duke University Divinity School
Arvid S. Herje, former Police Chief, Town of Carrboro
John Herrera, Alderman, Town of Carrboro and Board President, Latino Community Credit Union
Bertha Holt, former N.C. State Representative
Larnie Horton, Chief Executive Officer, Horton and Horton Enterprises and former Trustee, UNC Board of Governors
Marjorie Hudson, Writer and Member, 2003 N.C. Humanities Council Forum
Marshall Hurley, former Republican Party legal counsel for N.C. Senate, former Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Howard Coble
Carolyn Hutchison, Police Chief, Town of Carrboro
Robert Inman, Novelist, Screenwriter and Playwright, Member of N.C. Writers Network
Rt. Rev. Robert H. Johnson, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
Frankie T. Jones, Sr., President, B&C Associates
Robert Jordan, President, Jordan Lumber; former Lieutenant Governor; former Chair, N.C. Economic Development Board
Richard Krawiec, Novelist and former Fellow, N.C. Arts Council
Thomas W. Lambeth, former Executive Director, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
Rev. Mac Legerton, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Center for Community Action
Michael Malone, Author and winner of 1980 O. Henry Award, 1984 Emmy Award, and 1007 Edgar Award
Margaret Maron, Author and Founding Member, Carolina Crime Writers Association, 1988-98
Elaine Marshall, N.C. Secretary of State and former N.C. State Senator
Honorable Harry Martin, former Associate Justice, Supreme Court of North Carolina
William F.W. Massengale, former N.C. Assistant District Attorney
James B. Maxwell, former President N.C. Bar Association
Friar David McBriar, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
Garry McCants, President, N.C. Black Chamber of Commerce and President, Black Pages USA
Kathryn C. McCoy, Mother of Murder Victim
Howard C. McGlohon, former N.C. Assistant District Attorney
Jack McKinney, Pastor, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.
William S. Mills, former President, N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers
James Moeser, Chancellor, UNC-Chapel Hill
Richard "Skip" Moore, President, Weaver Foundation
Mary Mountcastle, President, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
Lewis H. Myers, President, LHM Associates and Chair, Economic Development Committee, N.C. Citizens for Business and Industry (NCCBI)
Stephen Lybrook Neal, former U.S. Representative, N.C. 5th District
Roy D. Neill, former N.C. Assistant District Attorney
Gene R. Nichol, Dean and Burton Craige Professor of Law, UNC-Chapel Hill
T. LaFontaine Odom, Sr., former N.C. State Senator
Mary Norris Preyer Oglesby, Durham, N.C.
Honorable Francis I. Parker, former Associate Justice, N.C. Supreme Court
Ivan Parra, Director, Latino Community Development Center
Rev. James L. Pike, Senior Pastor, Olin T. Binkley Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Marshall B. Pitts, Jr., Mayor, Fayetteville, N.C.
James K. Polk, former Special Assistant for Minority Affairs, Public Member, N.C. Real Estate Commission, former Member, Board of Directors of the American Red Cross
Abdul Rasheed, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, N.C. Community Development Initiative
J. George Reed, Executive Director, N.C. Council of Churches
Richard G. Roose, former N.C. Assistant District Attorney, Board Member, N.C. Commission on Indigent Defense Services
Dave Richard, Executive Director, N.C. Association for Retarded Citizens
John M. Richardson, Regional Minister, N.C. Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Samuel E. Roberson, General Presbyter/Stated Clerk, Presbytery of Charlotte, N.C.
Honorable Thomas W. Ross, Executive Director, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, former N.C. Superior Court Judge and former Director, N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts
Thomas R. Sallenger, former N.C. Assistant District Attorney, Chairman, Wilson County Board of Education, 1992-96
Charles A. Sanders, former Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Glaxo Inc.
David Sedaris, Author and Radio Commentator, 2001 Winner of Thurber Prize for American Humor
Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans, Chair Emeritus, Duke University Endowment, former Trustee, Duke University
James H. Semans, Physician and Honorary Member, N.C. School of the Arts Board of Trustees
Herb Sendek, Head Men's Basketball Coach, N.C. State University
Rev. Robert E. Seymour, Pastor Emeritus, Olin T. Binkley Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Dean E. Smith, Coach Emeritus, UNC-Chapel Hill Men's Basketball Team
Lanty L. Smith, Chair, Soles, Brower, Smith & Co., Chair, Precision Fabrics Group, former President, Burlington Industries
Lee Smith, Novelist and two-time Winner of the O. Henry Award
Roger W. Smith, Sr., former President, Wake County Bar Association, former Member, N.C. State Bar Council and N.C. State Bar Ethics Committee, President, N.C. Supreme Court Historical Society
Wade M. Smith, former N.C. State Representative, former President, Wake County Bar Association, Winner of 2000 Distinguished Alumni Award, UNC-Chapel Hill
Elizabeth Spencer, Novelist and Winner of N.C. Award for Literature, 2002 N.C. Literary Hall of Fame Inductee
Adam Stein, former President, N.C. Academy of Trial Attorneys, former Chair, N.C. Commission on Indigent Defense Services, Member, Board of Governors, Association of Trial Lawyers of America
William W. Taylor, III, former Professor of Law, UNC-Chapel Hill, former Chair, Criminal Justice Section, American Bar Association
David B. Thornton, former N.C. Assistant District Attorney
Elizabeth K. Thurbee, Executive Director, Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Charlotte
Howard F. Twiggs, former N.C. State Representative, former President, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, former president N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers
Trip Van Noppen, Director, Carolinas Office, Southern Environmental Law Center
Honorable James R. Vosburgh, former N.C. Superior Court Judge
Jerry Waller, Retired N.C. probation officer
Melvin L. Watt, U.S. Representative, N.C. 12th District, former N.C. State Senator, former President, Mecklenburg County Bar
Katherine Stern Weaver, President, Residence Development Company
Honorable John Webb, former Associate Justice, N.C. Supreme Court
Judith Wegner, Professor of Law and former Dean, UNC-Chapel Hill
Reverend Mauricio W. West, Administrator, Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Honorable Willis P. Whichard, former Associate Justice, N.C. Supreme Court, former Associate Judge, N.C. Court of Appeals, former N.C. State Senator and Representative, Dean and Professor of Law, Campbell University
Jim Wiggins, Executive Director, N.C. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Rev. Mel Williams, Watts Street Baptist Church, Durham, N.C.
Rev. William H. Willimon, Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry, Duke University
David R. Work, Executive Director, N.C. Board of Pharmacy
Fred Yates, Mayor, Winfall, N.C. and Political Action Chair, N.C. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Honorable H.W. Zimmerman, Jr., former N.C. Superior Court Judge and former N.C. District Attorney

cc: Honorable Marc Basnight, N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore