GOP lawmakers urge return to executions

RALEIGH — State Republican lawmakers called on the Democratic leadership to take steps to end what amounts to a moratorium on the death penalty in North Carolina.

The Republicans urged their Democratic colleagues to take up legislation to prohibit the N.C. Medical Board from disciplining doctors for their involvement in executions.

Prison officials have been unable to find a doctor willing to be present at executions since the medical board passed its ethics policy in January forbidding doctors from doing anything more than being present. So far, five inmates have seen their executions delayed indefinitely because of lack of willing doctors and ongoing litigation about the role of doctors in executions.

"This obviously contravenes the intent of the General Assembly and the will of North Carolinians," said Rep. Paul "Skip" Stam, a Wake County Republican who is House minority leader . "The courts will act when they will. We must act now. The voices of the victims silenced by murder must be restored."

State Sen. Phil Berger of Eden and Rep. Tim Moore of Shelby introduced the legislation in their respective chambers. Berger said the bill's chances of becoming law rests solely with the Democratic leadership in the House and the Senate.

"It's up to the Democrats in the General Assembly to act at this time," Berger said.

Berger said similar legislation had been passed in Arkansas and Oregon.

Stam cited an academic study that concluded a 21-month death penalty moratorium in Texas probably caused 90 additional homicides. If North Carolina experienced a similar surge, Stam said, the cost of a two-year moratorium in North Carolina could be the lives of 50 people.

"That's the cost of a moratorium," Stam said.