Bill to remove TVs from death row moves forward

By Mark Binker

Posted: June 6, 2012

Raleigh, N.C. — The House Judiciary C Committee has approved H 1008: No Televisions on Death Row. As we reported in an earlier post, the bill was prompted by a death row inmate who wrote a letter to the editor saying that he led a life of leisure.

Rep. Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, said that outraged people in his area.

"Anything we can do to make death row a less pleasant place, we should do," Moore said.

Central Prison Warden Ken Lassiter said the inmate in question no longer has access to television. And he warned that taking television away from all death row inmates could pose security issues. Television is one of the few things that can occupy the death row inmates, who are not allowed to participate in many programs with regular prisoners.

"It has the potential to escalate security issues inside the facility," Lassiter said.

On a voice vote, the committee was audibly divided, and Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange, called for division so that votes could be counted. But Rep. George Cleveland, R-Onslow, who was chairing the meeting, said the voice vote was sufficient and moved on.

The bill next goes to the appropriations committee, and then on to the House floor.

4 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

This blog post is closed for comments.

page 1

sort order: oldest first | newest first

Replace the TV's on death row with Kleenex.

wayneuber
June 12, 2012 12:28 p.m.

Report abuse

I am less worried about tv on death row than I am all the weightlifting equipment for the NON-death row crowd. They use it to build up a macho image, then get out and use this to intimidate and prey on more victims. They should be allowed excercise, preferably excercise involving actual physical labor, but taxpayers should quit helping them become MORE dangerous upon release.