Relatives of murder victims and four District Attorneys met with Gov. Bev Perdue Monday afternoon. They were there to urge the Governor to spare the veto ink on Senate bill 9. The bill, passed on November 29, repealed many of the provisions of the Racial Justice Act that allowed death row inmates to appeal their conviction on the basis of racial discrimination. Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle had Angie West with here. West’s brother was a law enforcement officer who was killed. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’neil was accompanied by Bill Magness. Magness and his wife were delivering Meals on Wheels when they discovered a client had been beaten to death. The suspect then shot and killed Magness’ wife and shot and wounded him.
The meeting lasted about 35 minutes and they didn’t come away with any impression of how the Governor would decide what to do about the bill. Perdue has until December 29 to make a decision, otherwise it would become law without her signature.
The afternoon meeting came after several opponents of Senate bill 9 met with Gov. Perdue earlier in the morning. Those opponents included the NAACP, some victim relatives and advocates who fought against the bill. They also didn’t know what the Governor would decide.
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