The North Carolina Racial Justice Act: An Essay on Substantive and Procedural Fairness in Death Penalty Litigation

• Author: Neil Vidmar
• Position: Professor of Law, Duke University School of Law; Research Director, Duke University School of Law Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility; Professor of Psychology, Duke University
• Pages: 1969-1983

1969

The North Carolina Racial Justice Act:

An Essay on Substantive and Procedural

Fairness in Death Penalty Litigation

Neil Vidmar

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1970

WHY RACIAL BIAS HARMS THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ................................... 1972

A. DELIBERATIVE ACCURACY OF THE JURY ............................................ 1972

B. CONFRONTING EXPLICIT AND IMPLICIT RACIAL BIAS ........................ 1975

C. SERIOUS HARM TO THE PERCEIVED LEGITIMACY OF THE CRIMINAL

JUSTICE SYSTEM ............................................................................. 1980

CONCLUSION ....................................................................................... 1982

 Russell M. Robinson II Professor of Law, Duke University Sch ool of Law; Research

Director, Duke University School of Law Center for Cri minal Justice and Professional

Responsibility; Professor of Psychology, Duke University.