The Case for Death Penalty Abolition
in Virginia
1, No one has been sentenced to death in Virginia since 2011, over nine years ago. And the U.S. Fourth
Circuit Court overturned that death sentence.
2. In most of Virginia, the death penalty is simply no longer used. Of the 133 local political jurisdictions
in the Commonwealth:
¢ 18 localities have never had an execution (13%)
¢ 33 jurisdictions have not had an execution in over 100 years (25%)
+ 69 localities have not had an execution in over 50 years (52%)
Since 1976, just three jurisdictions (Chesterfield, Prince William, & Virginia Beach) have had 23%
of Virginia’s executions. Six jurisdictions (Chesterfield, Fairfax, Hampton, Pittsylvania, Portsmouth,
Prince William, & Virginia Beach) account for 41% of the executions.
Number of Executions
1976-2018
3. In 2012 the National Research Council concluded Gases rat ent en Non ean
that there is no credible evidence the death penal- ot ases ases
ty deters homicide. In fact, states without the Defense $395,762 $98,963
death penalty consistently have significantly Trial Court $ 72,530 $21,554
lower murder rates than death penalty states. ia 40.13 days 16.79 days
4. While there has been no detailed cost analysis of Prison $49,380/year $24,690/year
Virginia’s death penalty, studies in other states Cases that did
consistently demonstrate that the death penal- not go to trial
ty costs significantly more than life in prison Detense $130,595 $64,711
without parole. To the right are details from a
Trial Court $ 16,263 $ 7,384
Kansas study that illustrate the gap in costs.
SOURCE: "Report of the Judicial Council Death Penalty
Advisory Committee," Judicial Council,
Kansas Legislature, February 13, 2014
5. The punishment of life in prison without parole protects the public from dangerous criminals at a signifi-
cantly lower cost. The cost savings from abolishing the death penalty could be used instead to investi-
gate unsolved cold cases or provide more fi ial and g assi to victims of violent
crimes.
6. Public opinion polls have shown a consistent decrease in support for the death penalty over the past thirteen
years. Opposition to the death penalty is now the highest that it has been since 1972.
A 2010 poll by Lake Research Partners found that a clear majority of voters (61%) would choose a punish-
ment other than the death penalty for murder. When presented with alternatives to the death penalty, similar
polls consistently show much less public support for the death penalty.
DEatn penalty,
No opinion
6%.
ife without parole plus restitution)
7.One man sentenced to death in Virginia, Earl Washington, was proven innocent by DNA testing. Others
have been executed with serious doubts about their guilt. There is no way to correct a wrongful convic-
tion if an innocent person is executed.
8. Human beings make mistakes — police, prosecutors, judges, jurors, and defense attorneys. Innocent people
should not die when mistakes are made in the criminal justice system.
9. There are only two men on Virginia’ death row, and both death sentences are under review by federal
courts. These sentences may well be reversed for the following reasons:
¢ In one case, evidence showing the defendant did not commit the crime was withheld.
¢ In the other case, a jury member committed perjury during the jury selection process.
It is time to abolish the death penalty in Virginia.
Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
P.O. Box 12222 @ Richmond, VA 23241
(434) 960-7779
www.vadp.org
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0