With a bipartisan bill that moved through its legislature at a rapid pace, Virginia became the twenty-third state to repeal the death penalty this month. The state house and senate passed identical but separate bills that will now need to be reconciled before moving on to the governor for his signature. There are no roadblocks anticipated in the final phases of the process. Virginia is the first southern state to end its death penalty system and was formerly one of the leading executioners in the country.