After centuries of carrying out executions, Virginia on Wednesday became the 23rd state to abolish the death penalty after Gov. Ralph Northam signed historic legislation into law that ends capital punishment in the commonwealth, CNN reports.
“We can’t give out the ultimate punishment without being 100% sure that we’re right. And we can’t sentence people to that ultimate punishment knowing that the system doesn’t work the same for everyone,” said Northam ahead of signing the legislation at the Greensville Correctional Center, which houses Virginia’s death chamber.
With Northam’s signature, Virginia became the first Southern state to repeal the death penalty since the US Supreme Court reinstated the punishment in 1976.
The new law, set to go into effect in July, comes as a major shift for Virginia, which has put to death more people in its history than any other state.
Two inmates currently on death row in Virginia will have their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment.
Before signing the legislation, Northam toured the correctional center and execution chamber Wednesday, which he described as a “powerful” experience that will stay with him and “reinforced to me that signing this new law is the right thing to do.”
Virginia lawmakers passed the legislation on near party-line votes in February during a special session.