February 12, 2020
* ee *
Dear *,
Your generous financial support and participation in our public policy
strategy made the success of VADP in the past year possible.
Enclosed is our 2019 annual report that describes our accomplishments,
financial results, and messages from myself, our Field Director, board
President, and supporters.
There are many challenges - and opportunities - ahead. We are working
to save lives by narrowing the use of the death penalty (e.g., Virginia
now has only two people on death row compared with eight five years
ago).
VADP continues to forge new relationships across the political spectrum.
We've sought bipartisan support for reform of the death penalty and its
ultimate end here in Virginia.
Just a few weeks ago, the Virginia state Senate passed a bill to end the
execution of people with severe mental illness by an overwhelming 32-7
bipartisan margin. As I write, we await action on this bill in the House of
Delegates. Another bill to abolish the death penalty entirely is also
awaiting action in the legislature.
If we don’t end capital punishment in the current legislative session, we
will continue to work hard to organize for the 2021 Virginia General
Assembly. Our goal: becoming the first Southern state to achieve this
milestone.
Sincerely,
Michael E. Stone
Executive Director
P.S. We'll keep in touch throughout the year, and you can always track
our work by going to our website <https://www.vadp.org/>. Look for our
Action Alerts so that you can weigh in with your own voice on death
penalty issues. More than 300 of you helped a year ago with this
important activist endeavor.
