Editor, Gazette-Journal:The article “Virginia eliminates death penalty” (Gazette-Journal, April 1 issue) applies to convicted criminals. It prohibits the use of capital punishment for any violation of Virginia law. Three of the reasons for abolishing the death penalty are that an innocent person may be executed, it was disproportionately applies to blacks, and it is the moral thing to do.

However, abortion is still legal in Virginia. It is the execution of an obviously innocent, unborn child, with the death decision being made by the pregnant woman, sometimes by a teenager. Abortion disproportionately affects blacks because, while they are only 13 percent of the population, black women have 35 percent of the abortions in the U.S. Abortion is also immoral because the Bible says “God hates hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:16 and 17) and the penalty for killing a pregnant woman/unborn child is “life for life” (Exodus 21:22-24).

Since Virginia abolished the death penalty ...