James Hunt, the Wilmington 10, and institutional legitimacy

Abstract
This essay analyzes Governor James Hunt's response to the controversy created by the case of the Wilmington 10. North Carolina's judicial system had been criticized for its performance and with a televised address the Governor attempted to restore confidence in the state's legal institutions. His strategy was to convert an emotional civil issue into a technical‐legal problem. This redefinition is viewed as a portent of a tactic that can erode the capacity of a government to legitimize its authority.

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