Life Behind Bars: 15 Death Row Inmates Get a Second Chance

In a surprising move, North Carolina's outgoing governor, Roy Cooper, made a significant change in 15 death row inmates' sentences. Instead of facing execution, these inmates will now spend the rest of their lives in prison without parole. This decision came after Cooper reviewed each case with care, considering factors like race and jury composition. The most notable case was that of Hasson Bacote, a Black man who challenged his sentence under the Racial Justice Act. Bacote's lawyers presented compelling evidence of racial bias in the jury selection process. The governor's actions were praised by groups like the ACLU, who see this as a step toward abolishing the death penalty in North Carolina. The state hasn't executed anyone since 2006. Some of the other inmates whose sentences were commuted include Iziah Barden, Nathan Bowie, and Robbie Locklear. This controversial law, the Racial Justice Act, was passed in 2009 but later repealed in 2013. However, North Carolina's Supreme Court reinstated it in 2020, allowing inmates like Bacote to seek reviews. Despite these efforts, obtaining lethal injection drugs and legal disputes have kept death sentences on hold.