Group looks to reform DE justice system; repeal death penalty
Seeking reform and repeal of the Delaware’s criminal justice system and the state’s death penalty, dozens of community members gathered at the Whatcoat United Methodist Church for a town hall meeting Thursday night.
Rev. Dr. Donald Morton, the executive director of the “Complexities Of Color” organization, commented on what he sees as a growing issue, saying, “Delaware is not unlike what is happening across the nation.” and “I think we investigate too much, we charge too much, we incarcerate too much, and we have to do something different if we expect different results.”
One thing Complexities of Color thinks Delaware should do differently, the death penalty.
They want it repealed.
According to a Cornell University study, a black murder defendant in Delaware was six-times more likely to get the death penalty when the victim was white, than when the victim was also black.
Among those who believe in the cause and repeal is State Representative Sean Lynn.
“There’s a inherent racial bias in Delaware’s death penalty, and as a result of which, it’s a human rights and civil rights violation.”
Lynn tells 47 ABC he has worked himself to repeal the death penalty, sponsoring Senate Bill 40, which looks to end it.
“I believe it’s one of the last surviving civil rights issues currently pending in the state of Delaware.” And “It’s clear based on just the death penalty alone, that such a racial injustice and racial bias exists.”, said Lynn.
Senate Bill 40 passed the Senate but failed 6-5 in the House Judiciary Committee during the last legislative session.
Lynn says that he plans to bring it up again in January.
With the discrimination being fought in Dover, Morton says his group will continue to spread the word as well as educate.
“We think that the greatest thing in the world is for people to have an understanding of issues.”
Thursday night’s town hall meeting was the second of four.
Complexities of Color says they will be holding their next meeting in Wilmington on November 17th before their virtual town hall on Twitter this summer.
