Virginia is for lovers, so they say, but how is it that the first colonial settlement has been so instrumental, nay, influential in capital punishment? The commonwealth of Virginia is known for its fall colors, beautiful skylines, and developing a well oiled machine that executes people faster and with greater frequency than any other state. This week, we do a deep dive into the states rich history of executions, and talk about Virginia's recent abolishment of the death penalty. Could this bold act, the first in the south, have greater implications for the way the death penalty is applied at the national level? You'll have to listen to find out!
Guest Bio:
Professor Corinna Barrett Lain is a constitutional law scholar who writes about the influence of extralegal norms on Supreme Court decisionmaking, with a particular focus on the field of capital punishment. Her scholarship, which often uses the lens of legal history, has appeared in the Stanford Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Duke Law Journal, UCLA Law Review, and Georgetown Law Journal, among other venues. Professor Lain is an elected member of the American Law Institute, and received the University of Richmond’s Distinguished Educator Award in 2006. She is a former prosecutor and an Army veteran.
Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026. Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091
Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/
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