Northam believes abolishing death penalty the moral thing to do Clark Palmer March 25, 2021 1 minute read Gov. Ralph Northam Governor Northam has signed legislation that makes Virginia the first southern state to eliminate the death penalty. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has the story Share: Post navigation Previous: Roanoke City Manager discusses gun violence at all levelsNext: VDH releases latest coronavirus data from Roanoke Valley Related Stories Code Orange: Wildfire smoke, 95-degree heat trigger Roanoke Valley alerts Ian Price July 17, 2026 Mountain Bike National Championships continue through Sunday; attracted former NBA great last weekend Gene Marrano July 16, 2026 Roanoke VIA Day School has new playground designed for students with autism Gene Marrano July 15, 2026