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Virginia Seeks to Abolish Death Penalty
On February 21, Virginia lawmakers voted in favor of eliminating the death penalty. Governor Ralph Northam is expected to sign the bill into law. This move to end the death penalty by the Commonwealth of Virginia is historic, and once signed by the Governor, Virginia will be the first southern state to outlaw capital punishment.
Dating back to colonial Jamestown in 1608, Virginia has one of the oldest death penalties on record and has executed roughly 14,000 people, which is more than any other state with a history of using capital punishment. While Virginia has not imposed a death sentence since 2011, nor has it executed someone since 2017, it holds the highest percentage of death row inmates than any other U.S. state and ranks number two in highest number of executions just behind Texas.
Once Governor Northam signs the bill into law, Virginia will become the 23rd state to end capital punishment. The law will take effect in July, and the two men currently on death row will have their sentences commuted to life in prison without parole.
During arguments for and against the bill, Democrats called for the end of capital punishment and a few Republicans agreed. However, a majority of Republicans pushed back, arguing individuals responsible for heinous crimes should be executed, and the death penalty can offer justice for the…
