The Virginian-Pilot
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RICHMOND
The Virginia House of Delegates gave preliminary approval today to a measure that would expand capital punishment in the state.
Pending final House passage, it will go to the state Senate, where an identical measure died in committee last week.
The legislation would repeal the so-called “triggerman rule” in current state law, which says only the actual killer in a homicide can be put to death, not any accomplices.
The sponsor of the House bill, HB389, Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County, said repealing that rule would enable courts to “treat equally guilty actors the same.”
Opposing the bill, Del. Joe Morrissey, D-Henrico County, said the measure would allow someone who was not even at the scene of a murder to be executed.
Barring a vote switch in the Senate, the law seems unlikely to be changed. The companion Senate bill, SB58, died on a 7-7 party-line committee vote with Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, abstaining because he represents defendants in murder cases.
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Odd
Odd coming from the same party that claims to want to defend ALL forms of human life, starting at conception. I guess they are above the rest of the human race and are fit to decide which lives are worth defending. It must be nice to sit so high and mighty.
Timing is everything
All life is sacred from conception until birth. After that, it's Devil take the hindmost. Then, just in case he misses a few, the state is happy to deliver as any "evildoers" to his doorstep as they can.
All you have to do is look
All you have to do is look at the chief patron of this bill.
This should explain a whole lot.
Comment deleted
Comment removed for rules violation. Reason: Personal attack, name calling