 Herbert N. Lape who was serving as the vice-chairman of the North Carolina state democratic party stated in a letter to Hunt that many people in the state view "the Charlotte Three [case] as [a] primarily white witch [hunt] that involved racial bigotry".A secretary by the name of Joseph Grimsley also stated in a memo to Governor Hunt, "[the] state's repressive image is beginning to spill over in this administration to yours personally".The administration was in a position where it had to save face by reducing the sentences or else face the possibility of losing control to another party.