Benevolence Committee
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (VADP)
Response to Committee Questions
February 28, 2020
What is your past and current relationship with Westmi ?
VADP has a long history with Westminster Presbyterian Church. One of your church’s stalwart
members, the late Betty Gallagher, was a leader in the Charlottesville death penalty abolition
community and worked closely with VADP. In 2015 VADP established the Betty Gallagher Citizen
of the Year Award to honor her memory.
One of our former board members — Rev. Lauren Ramseur — served as a minister at Westminster
Presbyterian Church for a number of years. In addition, a staff member at the church -Steve Brown —
has a lengthy personal relationship with VADP Executive Director Michael Stone.
Please tell us how your work intersects our church’s mission — sustained by grace, to serve Christ,
share God’s love and work for justice in a complex world — and any of these areas of engagement.
The mission of VADP is to “end the death penalty in Virginia through education, organizing, and
advocacy.” It seeks to outlaw state-sponsored killing and thus to put an end to what the Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. described as “‘a descending spiral [of violence].” Those sentenced to death in
Virginia are overwhelming the poor, people of color, and those with mental illnes
How might partnership with Westminster develop beyond fiscal support?
There are several ways in which your faith community can partner with VADP. Some churches have
encouraged its members to become individual supporters of VADP through sign-up Sunday programs.
Sen. Creigh Deeds is a key swing vote in the Senate. Church members could certainly help our
mission by organizing constituents to meet with the Senator and express their support for abolition.
Other faith communities have hosted VADP speakers for educational events. Some hosted VADP
“friend-raising” events. Finally, church volunteers could staff VADP outreach tables at festivals.
Please share some of your ac list its and chall in the past year.
For the past five years VADP has worked with mental health groups to support a bill to ban the
execution of people with severe mental illness (SMI). In January this legislation passed the Senate
Courts of Justice Committee, then the full Senate with overwhelming 32-7 bipartisan support.
Unfortunately, leadership of the House of Delegates Courts of Justice Committee refused to schedule
a hearing, electing to delay the SMI bill and other criminal justice reform measures till next year.
VADP launched an abolition campaign for this legislative session. Murder victim family members,
prosecutors, and exonerees urged legislators to end capital punishment. House and Senate leaders
decided to defer abolition until the 2021 session. We definitely have the votes to pass abolition in the
House of Delegates and are close to having majority support in the Senate.
No jury in Virginia has sentenced anyone to death in over 8 years. There are only two men now on
death row and both of their sentences are under review by federal courts due to improprieties in their
trials. We are hopeful that both death sentences will be overturned in the coming months.
How much support are you requesting in 2020 and what percentage does that request represent in
your operating budget, or for the project you are requesting funds for?
Westminster has sent $1,000 to VADP for the past seven years. A donation of $1,000 in 2020 would
represent less than 1% of our $154,818 budget. Of course, a larger donation would be most welcome.
