RALEIGH, NC -The North Carolina NAACP strongly condemns House Bill 307, legislation that seeks to expand and intensify the use of the death penalty in North Carolina by reintroducing firing squads, electrocution, and poison gas. The bill was filed in response to a tragic crime in Charlotte earlier this year, but the NAACP warns that reactionary policies rooted in fear and political rhetoric do nothing to address the root causes of violence.
“The NAACP has fought for more than a century to end racial terror, yet this bill would drag North Carolina back into an era of cruelty and injustice. The death penalty here has always been infected by racism — with Black people and people of color over-represented on death row, tried before all-white juries, and disproportionately sentenced to die.
We know innocent men have already been exonerated after decades of wrongful imprisonment, and more remain at risk. Adding firing squads, electrocutions, and poison gas does nothing but intensify the brutality. We call on Governor Josh Stein to veto this shameful legislation and stand on the side of justice.”
— Deborah D. Maxwell, President, NAACP North Carolina State Conference
The NAACP urges all North Carolinians to join in calling on Governor Stein to reject HB 307 and veto this dangerous, unjust measure.
Take Action Now: Call Gov. Josh Stein at 919-814-2000 and demand a veto of House Bill 307.
Addressing crime requires thoughtful conversations that lead to sensible legislation — not political dog whistles. The rhetoric behind HB 307 is noise that distracts from real solutions to keep our communities safe.