Northam signs bill abolishing the death penalty in Virginia

ARRATT, Va. (AP)- Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation that will put an end to the death penalty in Virginia, a state with a long and prolific history of carrying out executions.

Wednesday, Northam toured the death chamber at the Greensville Correction Center, then signed the landmark legislation.

The legislation marks yet another dramatic shift in Virginia’s precedents since Democrats took full control of Virginia in 2019.

Virginia has put to death nearly 1,400 people in the last 400 years. In modern times, Virginia is second only to Texas in the number of executions it has carried out, with 113 since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

Last month, Virginia’s Democratic majority won a years long battle when both the Senate and House of Delegates approved bills to end capital punishment. Virginia has become the 23rd state to abolish the death penalty.

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