Superior Court Judge Wayland Sermon found race played a major role in the prosecution and sentencing of Hasson Bacote to the death penalty in 2009. Gov. Roy Cooper granted Bacote clemency on Dec. 31, ...

The ruling in the first Racial Justice Act evidentiary hearing in more than a decade will have implications for the death ...

On Friday, a Johnston County judge found that race played a significant role in the death penalty trial of Hasson Bacote, ...

In a 120-page order, Superior Court Judge Wayland Sermons also ruled that race was “a significant factor” in other death penalty cases brought by Greg Butler, the assistant district attorney who ...

A North Carolina judge ruled Friday that a Black defendant’s capital trial was undermined by allegations of racial bias during jury selection, potentially opening the door to death row inmates ...

Superior Court Judge Wayland Sermons also found that racial discrimination extends beyond Bacote’s case “poisoning all death sentences in Johnston County” and districts that include Harnett and Lee ...

Gretchen Engel, the CDPL’s executive director, said Bacote’s lawyers were “grateful” that Sermons “carefully weighed the evidence and found that the administration of the death penalty ...

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You are able to gift 5 more articles this month. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. Learn more. We belong to a group who call themselves “Seekers.” We gather every ...

During the 8-day Fidau prayer, which took place on Friday, January 24, a respected and popular cleric, Sheikh Faruq Onikijipa — who delivered a sermon at the event — urged K1 to ...