Dear <first name>,
Earlier this year the Virginia legislature passed HB 815, a bill that
would make the electric chair the default execution method in Virginia if
lethal injection drugs are not available.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe did not veto this bill. Instead he introduced an
amendment to allow the Department of Corrections to obtain execution
drugs in secret from compounding pharmacies. Unfortunately, the
legislature approved Gov. McAuliffe’s ill-advised amendment.
This new law will cloak the source of execution drugs in a veil
of secrecy. The quality of compounded drugs varies significantly and
presents a very real risk of horrific botched executions. This is an
unacceptable exception from the proud tradition of open government in the
Commonwealth of Virginia.
While we are disappointed by the outcome, I am incredibly
proud of the great advocacy work done by VADP supporters over the
past three months. Hundreds of you responded to VADP action alerts and
either sent e-mails or called the offices of their Delegates and Senators.
The enactment of this secret execution drug policy was the result of a
“perfect storm” of circumstances.
First, an execution date was scheduled in March for notorious mass
murderer Ricky Gray (which was subsequently stayed by the courts). The
horrendous facts around the murder of the Harvey Family were
shamelessly exploited by death penalty supporters to browbeat their
colleagues into voting for the original electric chair bill.
Second, Gov. McAuliffe did everything in his power to ensure
that executions continue in Virginia. He skillfully manipulated the
legislative process to create a false choice for legislators: Either approve a
policy that you rejected last year (secret execution drugs) or I veto the
electric chair bill, and we have no way to execute the horrible people on
death row.
This false choice generated enormous pressure on conservative
legislators to vote in favor of the Governor’s secret execution drug
amendment.
Third, despite all these factors, the House of Delegates STILL
voted against the Governor’s amendment! But death penalty
supporters would not accept defeat, and aggressively cajoled and
threatened their colleagues. Unfortunately, thirteen Republicans changed
their vote and approved execution secrecy.
Despite this setback, I am increasingly confident that, with
your help, we can abolish the death penalty in Virginia by 2020.
Our advocacy efforts have resulted in the emergence of a core of
Republican legislators who have consistently voted against every
death bill in the past two years.
We have identified an even larger group of Republican
Delegates and Senators who struggle to vote in favor of these bills.
They are torn by conscience, and only supported the electric chair or
execution secrecy after intense pressure from colleagues and the Governor.
Last year the Utah legislature passed a bill to make the firing squad
that state’s default execution method if lethal injection drugs were not
available. Despite that terrible vote, the same legislators nearly abolished
the death penalty in Utah! The state Senate voted for abolition, and the
House was only a few votes short of supporting an end to capital
punishment.
Virtually all major newspapers in the Commonwealth opposed the
electric chair bill or secret execution drugs, or both. Three newspapers --
the Virginian Pilot, Daily Press, and Staunton News Leader -- called
for death penalty abolition!
We are at a new stage in Virginia’s death penalty debate. VADP must
expand its staff in order to get us over the finish line to abolition.
Please renew and increase your financial support. With your help, a
full-time grassroots field worker can build even greater political
support in key legislative districts for abolition. Delegates and
Senators who reluctantly vote for the death penalty need this “political
cover” back home in order to vote for abolition.
Thank you so much for your past support. With your help, we WILL
abolish the death penalty in the Commonwealth by 2020.
But for that to become true, we need your help today - your generous
tax-deductible gift returned in the envelope provided. (You can also give
with your credit or debit card at our secure web site: www.vadp.org
“Donate”.)
With urgent thanks,
Michael Stone
Executive Director
P.S. The time is critical. So please - right now -- return your generous
VADP donation using the form and envelope provided.
