Page 9 - 2021 MAHOGANY REVUE 02 APARIL

2B MAHOGANY REVUE 02 APRIL 2021

1ST SOUTHERN STATE COVID-19 FUNERAL
TO ABOLISH DEATH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

PENALTY -VIRGINIA

GOVERNOR SIGNED IT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Who is Eligible? or indirectly to COVID-19 and
shows that the death occurred
INTO LAW brought overwhelming grief to To be eligible for funeral in the United States, including
The COVID-19 pandemic has
the U.S. territories, and the
many families. At FEMA, our assistance, you must meet District of Columbia.
CONTINUED FROM als were African American. the execution chamber and mission is to help people these conditions:
PAGE 1A And so that number was holding cells for death row before, during and after disas- Funeral expenses docu-
Gov. Ralph Northam on disproportionate. The inmates ahead of the sign- ters. We are dedicated to help- The death must have ments (receipts, funeral home
Wednesday signed legisla- fence, the representation of ing, led by Harold Clarke, ing ease some of the
tion to officially abolish African Americans has no director of the Virginia financial stress and
the death penalty in doubt been disproportion- Department of Corrections, burden caused by
Virginia, making it the virus.
the first Southern
state to ban capital Under the
punishment. Coronavirus
Response and
“Justice and pun- R e l i e f
ishment are not Supplemental
always the same Appropriations Act
thing, that is too of 2021 and the
clearly evident in American Rescue
400 years of the Plan Act of 2021,
death penalty in FEMA will provide
Virginia,” Northam, financial assistance
a Democrat, said for COVID-19-
during remarks related funeral
ahead of signing the expenses incurred
legislation, saying after January 20, 2020. occurred in the United States, contract, etc.) that includes the
that it is both the including the U.S. territories, applicant’s name, the deceased
right and the moral We are working with stake- and the District of Columbia. person’s name, the amount of
thing to do. holder groups to get their input The death certificate must funeral expenses, and the dates
on ways we can best provide indicate the death was attrib- the funeral expenses happened.
“I can say the death this assistance, and to enlist uted to COVID-19.
penalty is funda- their help with outreach to fam- Proof of funds received
mentally flawed,” ilies and communities. FEMA The applicant must be a from other sources specifically
he said. “We know will begin to implement U.S. citizen, non-citizen for use toward funeral costs.
the system doesn’t always ate.” and George Hinkle, COVID-19 funeral assistance national, or qualified alien who We are not able to duplicate
get it right,” he said, Regional Operations Chief. in April. incurred funeral expenses after benefits received from burial or
adding, “Make no mistake According to data com- January 20, 2020. funeral insurance, financial
— if you commit the most piled by the Death Penalty Northam said the experi- Additional guidance is being There is no requirement for assistance received from vol-
serious of crimes, you will Information Center, ence of seeing it firsthand finalized and will be released the deceased person to have untary agencies, government
be punished.” Virginia has imposed capi- “was very powerful and I to potential applicants and been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen agencies, or other sources.
tal punishment since the will never forget it, and it community partners as soon as national, or qualified alien.
While Virginia has now Colonial times and ahead just reaffirms that we're possible. In the meantime, peo- How are Funds Received
become the first state of the of the rest of the country, doing the right thing ple who have COVID-19 How to Apply
former Confederacy to ban with the commonwealth today.” funeral expenses are encour- If you are eligible for funeral
the death penalty, it is the having executed a higher aged to keep and gather docu- In April, FEMA will begin assistance you will receive a
23rd state to ban it, follow- percentage of death row Northam, who is also a mentation. accepting applications. If you check by mail, or funds by
ing Colorado last year. inmates than any other physician, added, “espe- alert - info had COVID-19 funeral direct deposit, depending on
Neighboring Maryland, state in the modern era of cially as a doctor, I saw the expenses, we encourage you to which option you choose when
which the Census Bureau capital punishment. gurney where individuals We are working to set up a keep and gather documenta- you apply for assistance.
classifies as a Southern are placed and strapped dedicated toll-free phone num- tion. Types of information
state, abolished the death A total of 1,390 people down and an IV is started, ber that can be used to apply should include: https://www.fema.gov/disas-
penalty in 2013. have been put to death in and then they're provided a for funeral assistance. More ters/coronavirus/economic/fun
Virginia, with the first doc- lethal injection that ends information will be available An official death certificate eral-assistance
In an exclusive interview umented instance being a their life. I, as a doctor, I soon. that attributes the death directly
with NBC News’ Geoff spy for Spain executed in put a lot of IVs in, but I
Bennett at the Greensville the Jamestown colony in administer a medicine or
Correctional Center 1608. Since the U.S. fluid that maintains life.”
GAGUT [God Almighty’s Grand
moments after the signing, Supreme Court reinstated Within the execution GAGUT [God Almighty’s Grand
Northam spoke of how the the death penalty in 1976,
Unified Theorem] Gij,j=0
legislation was a priority Virginia has executed 113 room, there was an electric Unified Theorem] Gij,j=0
for him and what it means people total. But no jury in chair and a lethal injection
for Virginia’s past and the state has handed down gurney, along with a wit-
future. a death sentence since ness viewing area behind a
2011 and no one has been glass encasing. Offenders receive updates from and the women's death row was so closely connected
“It's an opportunity for us executed since 2017. were given a choice of the inside the chamber back at at the Fluvanna to its history of slavery and
to reflect on our history, to electric chair or a lethal the state Capitol as the exe- Correctional Center for lynching.
acknowledge that there are The last execution to take injection, with Clarke cution process would Women in the town of
a lot of things that were not place at the Greensville telling Northam that of the unfold. Troy. "Now that it is coming to
good about our history, and Correctional Center was of last five who were execut- an end, we can start a new
to really right a wrong,” he Robert Gleason, a convict- ed, only one opted for the It’s not clear whether the He said he’d like to see all chapter that embraces an
said. ed murderer who was put chair. chamber will stay in place states in the country abol- evidence-based approach
to death in 2013. moving forward. ish the death penalty in his to public safety: One that
Northam, who ran for In the room next door, Executions in Virginia lifetime. “I just think it's values the dignity of all
governor on a campaign When asked what he there were three different have been carried out at the right thing to do.” human beings and is
promise to abolish the would say to those who holding cells for inmates, Greensville since it was focused on transforming
death penalty, spoke of the argue some crimes are so who would typically be moved from the Virginia LaKeisha Cook, of the the justice system into one
inequity of its use in heinous that capital pun- transferred to that location State Penitentiary in 1991, Virginia Interfaith Center rooted in fairness, account-
Virginia. ishment is the proper solu- five days before they were with the men's death row for Public Policy, said in a ability, and redemption,"
tion, Northam said, “Two scheduled to be put to located at the Sussex I statement that the state's she said.
“When one looks at the wrongs don't make a death. There is also a red State Prison in Waverly legacy on the death penalty
history, close to 1,400 indi- right.” phone mounted on the
viduals have been execut- wall, with a direct line to
ed,” he said. “The great NBC News was with the Virginia governor’s
majority of those individu- Northam when he toured office, as they would
COVID-19 PERKS FOR

GETTING VACCINATED -
FREE KRISPY KREME
DOUGHNUTS, CASH AND

EVEN MARIJUANA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
Getting America
vaccinated will go a long
way toward helping the
country return to some sort
of normal.

Key Points

** Businesses have
begun offering incentives
to encourage more people
to get their Covid vaccine.

** From Krispy Kreme
doughnuts to cash and gift
cards, here are a few of the
freebies available now.
employees $100 in store doughnut.

credit in addition to a one-
Already, employers such as
time $100 payment for And, The Greenhouse of
Instacart, Target, Trader
taking the vaccine. Publix Walled Lake, a marijuana
Joe’s, Chobani, Petco,
said it will give associates a dispensary in Walled Lake,
Darden Restaurants,
$125 gift card to use in the Michigan, is giving anyone
McDonald’s and Dollar
store after they get both over the age of 21 with
MAHOGANYREVUE.COM
General are among a MAHOGANYREVUE.COM
doses. proof of vaccination a free
growing list of companies
GET NEWS T T HAT SPEAKS THE
pre-rolled joint. The “Pot GET NEWS HAT SPEAKS THE
giving workers time off and
For its part, Krispy Kreme for Shots” promotion is a
extra money to get
Doughnuts is offering “way of saying thank you
vaccinated for Covid-19. T TR RU UT TH H
anyone — employed or not for helping to end this

MA A H H O O G G A A N N Y Y R R E E V V U U E E . . C C O O M
— with proof of a Covid pandemic and getting us M M
Kroger is awarding
vaccination a free back to normal,” the