Please join Disability Rights-NC and the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI-NC) in supporting legislation to protect people suffering from a severe mental disability!

North Carolina prohibits the execution of people with mental retardation, who often exhibit impaired judgment and reasoning as well as marked deficits in impulse control.  In 2001 the North Carolina General Assembly, recognizing these deficits, enacted procedural changes to identify defendants with mental retardation more effectively and to punish them more appropriately.

The same protections should apply to people suffering from severe mental disability, as they have similar cognitive and functional limitations that impact their ability to assist their attorneys and participate meaningfully in their defense.

By determining whether a defendant suffers from a severe mental disability before the trial begins, the excessive cost of the trial and appeal process may be significantly reduced.  In fact, in approximately 75% of the mental retardation cases since 2001, District Attorneys, defense attorneys and judges have agreed to resolve the case through a plea, which saved both money and resources in each case.

Please Act Today!

Click this link to send a message to your legislators: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1607/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3985