CDPL is a non-profit law firm that represents people on death row, coordinates capital litigation across North Carolina, and serves as a clearinghouse for accurate and timely information on the N.C. death penalty. We believe that indigent defendants facing the death penalty deserve the same kind of high-quality representation available to the highest-paying clients. We also believe that ending the unjust and error-prone death penalty is a crucial part of building a more humane criminal justice system in North Carolina. Read more about our work.
What’s New
Ending the death penalty makes us all more free
Listen as our director of public information tells a very personal story of how she learned the truth about our state’s racist criminal punishment system and makes a compelling argument for why every North Carolinian should join the grassroots movement to end the death penalty. As Kristin says, “Whether we accept or reject the death penalty is not about what happens to other people. It’s about who we are and the kind of world we want to live in.”
Racist jury strikes go on trial in the NC Supreme Court
Russell Tucker was a Black man facing the death penalty in the South in the “tough-on-crime” 1990s. He deserved the chance to be tried by a jury of his peers. However, a Forsyth County prosecutor came up with reason after reason why Black people could not remain on the jury. On Feb. 8, Mr. Tucker’s attorneys will present evidence to the NC Supreme Court that jurors were illegally excluded because of their race.
The Racist Roots film is now available for all. Please watch, share & help make the death penalty history!
CDPL’s powerful new 25-minute film traces the NC death penalty’s deep entanglement with slavery, lynching and racism — and inspires people to join the movement to transform our state’s criminal legal system. Please help us share it!
Support our Work
Help us provide the best possible representation to people facing execution and educate the public about the injustice and racist roots of the death penalty. Donate here. Or sign up here to get updates about our work.
Join the Movement
CDPL is a member of the NC Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. If you want to be a part of the grassroots movement to end the NC death penalty, please visit their website to learn and get involved.
Intern or Volunteer
Do you want to learn about capital defense while working alongside a dedicated staff? If you are a law student looking for a summer internship, learn more here. If you are interested in volunteering, apply here.