News-Record.com

Over at Blue NC, they dug up an old story with the following quote from then-Sen. Perdue:

Another death penalty backer, Sen. Beverly Perdue, D-Craven, suggested that doing away with the gas chamber would lessen capital punishment's deterrent value.

``I think we should make it painful and torturous,'' she said.

I was a little suspect that the quote may have been taken out of context so I went and looked up the story by Foon Rhee, myself. No, no ambiguity here:

Sen. Fountain Odom, D-Mecklenburg, the bill's main sponsor, isn't giving up. He plans to seek a Senate vote as soon as he has enough promises of support. Then again, he expected smooth passage of the bill this week.

``It's politics,'' Odom said of what happened to his bill.

It drew fire from capital punishment supporters, who fear it could give another reason for lawyers to appeal and delay death sentences.

``This, in my mind, just gives them another hook to hang their hat on,'' said Sen. Mark McDaniel, R-Forsyth. ``Swift punishment has gone out the window.''

Another death penalty backer, Sen. Beverly Perdue, D-Craven, suggested that doing away with the gas chamber would lessen capital punishment's deterrent value.

``I think we should make it painful and torturous,'' she said.

This is noteworthy because on Monday evening, Lt. Gov. Perdue sent out this news release:

Lt. Governor Bev Perdue is closely studying the death penalty protocol vote that will come before the Council of State tomorrow morning. But Lt. Governor Perdue recognizes that questions about the constitutionality of the death penalty administration have been accumulating. They have now reached a peak with questions about lethal injection and medical supervision. Lt. Governor Perdue believes that until these questions are clarified in the courts that there should be a moratorium on executions.

Lt. Governor Perdue wants to make clear that she is not linking tomorrow’s protocol vote with a vote for or against a moratorium.

Lt. Governor Perdue has long stood and continues to stand as a supporter of capital punishment. At the same time, she believes and has a demonstrated record in favor of insisting upon fairness in its administration.

The release did not say whether she still believed capital punishment should “painful and torturous.”