Kilgore wants to expand death penalty to fight gangs

 

Republican candidate for governor Jerry Kilgore wants to combat gang violence by expanding the state's death penalty law.

Kilgore announced his anti-gang proposals today. He said he considers gangs the state's number one public safety problem.

Among his proposals is eliminating the "trigger man" requirement for capital punishment. That would allow the state to seek the death penalty against a gang leader who orders a subordinate to kill someone.

He also wants to expand the definition of capital murder to include those committed as part of a gang-related activity and make murdering a witness a capital offense.

Kilgore says the proposals build on his efforts as attorney general. Those efforts include tougher anti-gang laws and promotion of education programs to prevent children from joining gangs.

Mo Elleithee is the spokesman for Kilgore's Democratic opponent, Tim Kaine. He says a state report shows gang activity in Virginia increased 220 percent when Kilgore was secretary of public safety.