Virginia lawmakers officially abolished the death penalty in the state on Monday. The federal government, along with 27 other states, still allows the use of capital punishment. Former Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral spoke to Boston Public Radio on Thursday about the significance of this decision.
"Virginia had been the leading state in executions for many many years," she said. "They very recently decided to abolish the death penalty, which, to some degree, came as a surprise just because of their history. But it is seen as a very progressive move."
If a state like Virginia can abolish the death penalty, it can serve as a model for other states and the federal government to follow, Cabral said. "There's certainly hope that Joe Biden will do something about that at the federal level, which will be a strong signal as well," she said.
Andrea Cabral is a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. She's the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety, and she's currently CEO of the cannabis company Ascend.
