Gov. Ralph Northam issued the following statement after the State Senate voted 21-17 Wednesday to pass legislation sponsored by Sen. Scott Surovell to ban capital punishment in the Commonwealth.
“Today’s vote in the Virginia Senate is a tremendous step toward ending the death penalty in our Commonwealth. Virginia has executed more people than any other state. The practice is fundamentally inequitable. It is inhumane. It is ineffective. And we know that in some cases, people on death row have been found innocent.
“It’s time for Virginia to join 22 other states and abolish the death penalty. I applaud every Senator who cast a courageous vote today, and I look forward to signing this bill into law.”
The House of Delegates is considering a companion bill to abolish the death penalty, sponsored by Delegate Mike Mullin. The bill advanced out of committee today, but the full body has not yet voted on it.
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