For the 2nd year in a row, the Virginia Senate passed le

For the 2nd year in a row, the Virginia Senate passed legislation that would make accessories to murder eligible for the death penalty. In a 24-19 vote, the Senate passed HB933, which would eliminate what is known as the "triggerman rule," which means that only the person who commits a murder faces capital punishment in Virginia. The House of Delegates on the 22nd passed a similar bill. The legislation is identical to a bill that passed the Senate last year. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine vetoed that legislation last year (see March 26, 2007). Since 1996, legislators have expanded the categories of the crimes that qualify for the death penalty 8 times. 3 of those categories already include people who are accessories to murder.