Friday, March 07, 2008
Va. Senate upholds veto on bill to expand death penalty
RICHMOND -- For the second time in as many years, the Virginia Senate upheld Gov. Tim Kaine’s veto of legislation to broaden the death penalty by eliminating the state's "triggerman rule.”
The Senate voted 24-16 this afternoon to approve identical House and Senate bills, falling three votes short of the two-thirds majority needed for an override.
The triggerman bills would have extended eligibility for capital punishment to certain accomplices who share "the same intent" as the actual killer.
Kaine views the bills as an expansion of the death penalty, which he opposes on moral grounds. When running for office in 2005, however, Kaine, a Catholic, said despite his opposition to the death penalty, he would take his oath of office seriously and enforce the sanction.
Since Kaine took office in 2006, Virginia has executed four people convicted of capital murder.
Last year, the Senate initially passed the triggerman bill by a veto-proof majority. But during the April veto session, two senators – including Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke – changed their votes, ensuring that the bill fell two votes short of the 27 needed to override the governor's veto.
The Senate voted 24-16 this afternoon to approve identical House and Senate bills, falling three votes short of the two-thirds majority needed for an override.
The triggerman bills would have extended eligibility for capital punishment to certain accomplices who share "the same intent" as the actual killer.
Kaine views the bills as an expansion of the death penalty, which he opposes on moral grounds. When running for office in 2005, however, Kaine, a Catholic, said despite his opposition to the death penalty, he would take his oath of office seriously and enforce the sanction.
Since Kaine took office in 2006, Virginia has executed four people convicted of capital murder.
Last year, the Senate initially passed the triggerman bill by a veto-proof majority. But during the April veto session, two senators – including Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke – changed their votes, ensuring that the bill fell two votes short of the 27 needed to override the governor's veto.
