(RALEIGH) -- Murders are down in North Carolina, declining more than 19-percent in 2009 and lower yet again for last year. In fact, the murder rate in the state has been declining since 1991. Also on the downturn, death sentences here in the Tar Heel state.

Opponents of the death penalty say this is an indication that juries are now less willing to condemn someone to death, versus a life sentence. Tye Hunter, executive director of the Center for Death Penalty Litigation, said this data points to a larger trend.

"A lot of insiders are saying we're seeing the end of the death penalty in North Carolina but that it's going to go out at sort of a slow dribble," said Hunter.

Only eight defendants were sentenced to death in the last five years. This is a huge drop from 1995 when 34 inmates were put on death row. Murder rates are also down nationwide.