Current status Capital punishment in Virginia

muhammad during time in military

when prosecution seeks death penalty, sentence decided jury , must unanimous.

in case of hung jury during penalty phase of trial, life sentence issued, if single juror opposed death (there no retrial).

virginia state shortest time on average between death sentence , execution (less 8 years). has executed 113 offenders since 1976 , has 4 remaining on death row of august 2017. in part because state habeas corpus condemned men heard state supreme court under exclusive original jurisdiction since 1995, after direct review, avoiding proceeding before lower courts.

on november 10, 2009, virginia executed spree killer john allen muhammad 2002 d.c. sniper attacks during 17 people killed. death sentence finalized in 6 years.

the governor has power of clemency respect death sentences.

the method of execution lethal injection, unless condemned requests electrocution instead.

capital crimes

under virginia s criminal code, capital murder defined willful, deliberate, , premeditated killing involving @ least 1 of following aggravating factors:

^ § 19.2-264.4. sentence proceeding . law.lis.virginia.gov. retrieved june 4, 2017. 
^ virginia s execution history . vadp.org. retrieved june 4, 2017.  virginia s death row inmates . vadp.org. retrieved june 4, 2017. 
^ conviction execution takes long . ktrh.com. retrieved march 22, 2016. 
^ code of virginia - § 8.01-654. when , whom writ granted; petition contain . law.lis.virginia.gov. retrieved march 22, 2016. 
^ article v. executive; section 12. executive clemency . law.lis.virginia.gov. retrieved june 4, 2017. 
^ § 53.1-234. transfer of prisoner; how death sentence executed; present . law.lis.virginia.gov. retrieved june 4, 2017. 
^ virginia code § 18.2-31.