The News Observer highlighted the North Carolina Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty group following the release of Henry Lee McCollum from death row after 31 years. The author, Craig Jarvis, said,
A North Carolina chapter of a national network of conservatives that wants to put the brakes on — if not outright abolish — the death penalty has become active this year.
A number of prominent Republicans have joined N.C. Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty: Les Merritt, the former state auditor; Ernie Pearson, a former assistant commerce secretary; David Robinson, once the Wake County GOP chairman; Marshall Hurley, former state Republican Party general counsel; Steve Monks, former Durham County GOP chairman; Mark Edwards, the Nash County GOP chairman; and Gerald Galloway, retired police chief in Southern Pines.
The article quoted me as saying,
“North Carolina is attempting to resume executions, but this should serve as a prominent example as to why states need to think twice,” national coordinator Marc Hyden said in the statement. “… We as a nation should consider whether the death penalty is worth the human and fiscal costs, while it fails to serve families and fails to prevent murder.”