Virginia to become the first Southern state to abolish death penalty
It has used the death penalty more than any other state.
By
Anagha Srikanth | Feb. 22, 2021
Story at a glance
Virginia lawmakers passed legislation to ban the death penalty, which has the backing of the state’s governor.
The state will become the 23rd to stop executions and the first in the American South.
Research shows Black Americans are more likely to be executed under the death penalty than white Americans.
With the anticipated signature of Gov. Ralph Northam, Virginia will go from one of the most prolific states in using the death penalty to the first in the American South to abolish capital punishment.
“Over Virginia’s long history, this Commonwealth has executed more people than any other state. And, like many other states, Virginia has come too close to executing an innocent person,†Northam, Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw and House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn said in a joint statement. “It’s time we stop this machinery of death.â€
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https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/539937-virginia-to-become-the-first-southern-state-to-abolish