Capital punishment in West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Prior to secession from the Confederacy
and admission to the Union on June 20, 1863, West Virginia was a part of Virginia
. 43 people were executed under Virginia's authority, 112 after statehood
.
The first two people executed in the State of West Virginia were Daniel Grogan and Thomas Boice (for murder
). After secession, no women have been executed in West Virginia.
The last execution for a crime other than murder (rape
) took place on December 6, 1940.
Hanging
was an official method until 1949.
In 1949 West Virginia was the last state to adopt the electric chair
as its only means of execution. The two first inmates electrocuted were Harry Burdette and Fred Painter. Then-State Delegate
Robert Byrd
was among the official witnesses during their executions. Byrd recalled this event, stating "It's not a beautiful thing."
Until 1959 102 people were hanged, nine electrocuted and one hung in chains.
The last person executed by West Virginia was Elmer Brunner
on April 3, 1959.
No federal executions have taken place in West Virginia, but two were sentenced to death in 2007, George Lecco and Valerie Friend, for the murder of a Federal Informant who was supplying Federal Law Enforcement with information about the Leccos cocaine drug ring. http://wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=24497&catid=267
Along with Iowa, West Virginia became the final pre-Furman state to abolish capital punishment in 1965.
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
and admission to the Union on June 20, 1863, West Virginia was a part of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. 43 people were executed under Virginia's authority, 112 after statehood
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
.
The first two people executed in the State of West Virginia were Daniel Grogan and Thomas Boice (for murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
). After secession, no women have been executed in West Virginia.
The last execution for a crime other than murder (rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
) took place on December 6, 1940.
Hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
was an official method until 1949.
In 1949 West Virginia was the last state to adopt the electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
as its only means of execution. The two first inmates electrocuted were Harry Burdette and Fred Painter. Then-State Delegate
West Virginia House of Delegates
The West Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the West Virginia Legislature. Only three states—Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia—refer to their lower house as the House of Delegates.-Historical:-Current:-District organization:...
Robert Byrd
Robert Byrd
Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
was among the official witnesses during their executions. Byrd recalled this event, stating "It's not a beautiful thing."
Until 1959 102 people were hanged, nine electrocuted and one hung in chains.
The last person executed by West Virginia was Elmer Brunner
Elmer Brunner
Elmer David Brunner was a convicted American murderer and was the last defendant executed by West Virginia.On 27 May 1957, Ruby Miller was killed with the claw-end of a hammer in Huntington, West Virginia during a burglary of her home. Brunner was arrested and charged with first degree murder...
on April 3, 1959.
No federal executions have taken place in West Virginia, but two were sentenced to death in 2007, George Lecco and Valerie Friend, for the murder of a Federal Informant who was supplying Federal Law Enforcement with information about the Leccos cocaine drug ring. http://wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=24497&catid=267
Along with Iowa, West Virginia became the final pre-Furman state to abolish capital punishment in 1965.