Virginia’s false choice on the death penalty: Barbarism or secrecy
PRESENTED WITH legislation that would expand use of the electric chair in Virginia, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) has offered an alternative that he called “a reasonable middle ground.” In fact, the governor’s proposal would replace a barbaric practice (the electric chair) with a constitutionally suspect one (a veil of secrecy over executions).
Stop the bargains on executions
EXECUTION remains the most severe penalty any government can exact.
But Virginia finds it increasingly difficult to carry out death sentences. The complications have some asking if it’s worth the heavy lifting required.
It’s a good time to consider abolishing capital punishment in Virginia
Is the death penalty in Virginia — and across the country — slowly dying?
The commonwealth now has only seven inmates on death row, down from 57 in 1995, with nobody added to the list since 2011.