The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virginia today condemned the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision holding that automatic solitary confinement of death row inmates does not violate the Constitution.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virginia today noted with appreciation passage of legislation that moves Virginia toward recognizing drug use as a public health issue that requires a public health solution.

Today the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virginia welcomes the Virginia House of Delegates decision to reject a bill (SB 1393, Saslaw) that would have shrouded Virginia’s lethal injection execution procedures in secrecy.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virgina released the following statement by Executive Director Claire Guthrie Gastañaga regarding action by the Senate Finance Committee on HB 1287, Delegate Mark Cole’s bill to require a conviction before private property can be forfeited by the state.

Organizations across a broad spectrum of political beliefs today asked the Virginia Senate Finance Committee to report a bill that would require a criminal conviction before law enforcement may seize and keep an individual's private property.

Senate Bill 1393 (Sen. Saslaw) would allow the Department of Corrections to contract with compounding pharmacies to make up drugs for use in lethal injection and would exempt from public disclosure laws the manufacturer of and the materials and components used to create the drugs.

The bill, sponsored by Delegate Mark Cole of Spotsylvania County, supported by allies from all sides of the political spectrum, including the Virginia Tea Party Federation.

The pardon of Reginald “Neli” Latson comes as a result of outreach by the ACLU of Virginia, other advocacy organizations, and the public.

Under the settlement agreement, the City has agreed that text messages sent and received in the course of public business will be stored and made available upon request as “public records” under applicable law.