PASSAGE ONE OF THE DAY: "Experts from several fields gave testimony to reveal a history and pattern of discrimination used in jury selection, not just for Bacote’s trial but others that have taken place in Johnston County. Another attorney representing Bacote, Ashley Burrell, senior counsel at the Legal Defense Fund, explained how the statistics show racial disparities in death penalty cases. In Johnston County, she disclosed that of the 17 capital cases reviewed, six Black defendants were sentenced to death. She also revealed that with the remaining 11 white defendants, more than half of those individuals were spared death sentences."
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PASSAGE TWO OF THE DAY: "Depending on Sermons’ decision, if Bacote emerges victorious, more than 100 other death row inmates in the state could also see their sentences similarly commuted."
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STORY: "Black death row inmate argues for resentencing based on North Carolina's history of racial bias," by Cedric 'Big Ced' Thornton, published by BNS Global News, on August 24, 2024. (Cedric 'Big Ced' Thornton is co-founder and owner of TheindustrycosigN.com);
SUB-HEADING: "Attorneys for Hasson Bacote are asking for him to be resentenced to life in person due to the history of the state’s documented history of racial discrimination."
GIST: "Attorneys for a Black man who is currently on death row are arguing for their client to be resentenced to life in person due to the history of the state’s documented history of racial discrimination.
According to NBC News, Hasson Bacote was convicted on a first-degree charge of murder for the 2007 shooting death of an 18-year-old man during a home robbery attempt. The jury that convicted him was made up of 10 white and two Black jurors. One of his attorneys, Henderson Hill, senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union argued that white jurors “get shown the box. Black jurors with the same background get shown the door,” during closing arguments on Aug. 21.
Bacote is being allowed to argue his case because of North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act of 2009. The act allows inmates on death row to seek resentencing based on racial bias being a factor in their convictions. After the act was repealed in 2013, the state Supreme Court reversed it allowing inmates like Bacote to argue their case under this act.
Experts from several fields gave testimony to reveal a history and pattern of discrimination used in jury selection, not just for Bacote’s trial but others that have taken place in Johnston County. Another attorney representing Bacote, Ashley Burrell, senior counsel at the Legal Defense Fund, explained how the statistics show racial disparities in death penalty cases. In Johnston County, she disclosed that of the 17 capital cases reviewed, six Black defendants were sentenced to death. She also revealed that with the remaining 11 white defendants, more than half of those individuals were spared death sentences.
Department of Justice Attorney Jonathan Babb does not agree with Bacote’s argument and stated that if the test under the Racial Justice Act is “whether racism has existed in our state, then there is no need for a hearing in this case or any other case. But that’s not the question before this court. Rather the question is whether this death sentence in this case was solely obtained on the basis of race. The defendant has not shown that his sentence was solely obtained on the basis of race.”
Superior Court Judge Wayland Sermons Jr. will make a ruling but has given no deadline.
Depending on Sermons’ decision, if Bacote emerges victorious, more than 100 other death row inmates in the state could also see their sentences similarly commuted."
The entire story can be read at:
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.
- SEE BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG, AT THE LINK BELOW: HL:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985
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FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."
Lawyer Radha Natarajan:
Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!
Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
