RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has proposed making significant changes to a bill that sought to allow the state to force condemned inmates to die in the electric chair when lethal injection drugs aren't available.
The Democratic governor's amendment to the bill would give the state to power to compound lethal injection drugs needed for executions. It also would allow the state to keep secret the names of pharmacies that supply the drugs.
McAuliffe said he will veto the electric chair bill if lawmakers don't approve his changes when they return on April 20.
He said he has found a "reasonable middle ground" on the difficult issue. He said if lawmakers don't agree with his changes, they will bring the death penalty to a halt in Virginia.
