Friend,

In March, Virginia made history as the first southern state to successfully abolish the death penalty. Joining 22 other states who have taken the charge against capital punishment, Virginia has chosen equity above cruelty. It’s time that the federal government does the same.

Retribution via execution is not justice. Capital punishment has shown itself to be a barbaric practice, and there's no strong evidence that it has deterred crime. The death penalty has been carried out disproportionately against people of color, and there are a rising number of cases where new evidence suggests that an innocent person may have been executed.

Jennifer knows from her time as a prosecutor that the criminal justice system is not always fair or just. The death penalty is a cruel and inhumane institution that we must remove if we are to bring equity to our criminal justice system.

To live up to our nation's ideals, we must treat all Americans with dignity. State-sanctioned execution devalues our common humanity, and it allows for the terrible chance that we might execute an innocent person.

As we undertake a broad conversation about reforming the criminal justice system, abolishing the death penalty must be a top priority. So we want your help in making our call to action heard.

Please add your name to demand that Congress abolish the death penalty.

With 53 people currently awaiting execution at the hands of the federal government, we cannot afford to wait on this.

Thank you,

Team Wexton