University of Virginia Library

1984. DEATH PENALTY, Crimes Punishable by.—

The General Assembly [of Virginia] shall have no power to pass any law
inflicting death for any crime, excepting murder;
and those offences in the military service
for which they shall think punishment
by death absolutely necessary: and all capital
punishments in other cases are hereby abolished.—
Proposed Va. Constitution. Ford ed., ii, 17.
(June. 1776)