Anti-death penalty protesters walk through Jacksonville

It is a small group, but they say they have a big message and they definitely cover a lot of ground.

The Sojourners for Abolition and Reconciliation (SOfAR), an anti-death penalty group led by Scott Bass of Raleigh, passed through Jacksonville on their 300-mile walk Monday. They began their trip at the state capital June 14.

"This is very much a spiritual journey," Bass said after leading his small group in prayer in front of the Onslow County Superior Courthouse on Monday afternoon. "Every step is a form of prayer."

Bass said he hopes people will realize that God's imagine can be found even in people who have committed unspeakable, horrible acts of violence.

"The death penalty damages the family of the perpetrator and the family of the victim," Bass said, adding that years of appeals and death row publicity denies a victim's family of the closure a life sentence would bring.

He said beside the basic moral problem he has with the death penalty, the process sucks up too much time, talent and money. Resources that could be put into mental health, substance abuse counseling and crime prevention.

Bass, a Sampson County native, said he went to school with Dewey Hudson, the district attorney for the Fourth Prosecutorial District, which includes Onslow County.

Hudson said he respected Bass' opinion, but felt his energies could be better focused on other social issues.

A convicted killer from Onslow County has not been executed in more than 50 years. In his career, Hudson has successfully prosecuted 13 capital cases. None of the defendants have been executed.

"I've probably come closer than they have with my mannequin hanging in Duplin County," Hudson said, referencing a Fasion resident's effigy display that has gained attention in the last week.

Hudson said with the last person from Onslow County being executed during World War II, he doesn't see it as a big issue for area residents.

The group began their walk at Central Prison, the site of more than 400 executions, to spread the word about what they see as a societal evil - capital punishment. They will cover 300 miles in two weeks, walking from town to town in eastern North Carolina. Bass and his fellow walkers will stop at Emerald Isle Baptist Church for a special program about justice and reconciliation tonight at 6 p.m.

The trip is planned to end at the General Assembly on June 30 where Bass and others are scheduled to speak with legislators about capital punishment at 3 p.m.

Walking 300 miles is not easy and Bass said it takes a lot of preparation. One of the four always drives behind the others in a vehicle chocked full of water, snacks and Gatorade.

The group wears sunscreen and stops to rest in the shade every four miles.

Contact Lindell Kay at 910-219-8456. Read his blog at http://onslowcrime.encblogs.com.