Whittney Evans

More than a year after Gov. Ralph Northam ordered the 12-ton statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee to be removed, it was lifted from its pedestal in Richmond, Va., to be placed into storage.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, signed a ban on the death penalty in that state Wednesday, joining 22 other states.

Lawmakers in the Democratic-majority Virginia legislature voted to end the death penalty citing its high cost, the possibility of executing the innocent and its disproportionate racial impact.

Attorney General Mark Herring says when he was in college, "some friends suggested we attend a party dressed like rappers we listened to at the time."

Some drops in prison populations were offset by increases at local jails, especially in rural areas.

Questions about the number of inmates dying in custody drew attention to the standards. A former Corrections chief said existing safety standards contained trade secrets, and would not release them.

The Utah congressman who is challenging House GOP Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is praised for sticking to his core principles and derided for going too hard after Planned Parenthood.

The bill was endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The law includes protections in areas of housing and employment. It also contains some exemptions for religious groups.

Law enforcement in Utah's capital is using federal organized-crime charges to try to rein in groups like the Tongan Crips. One officer says it's sometimes the only way to send a message to criminals.

A new charter school in Utah wants to equip students in kindergarten through ninth grade with a solid foundation in business. The principal insists it's not just a pint-sized business school. The goal is to give kids a well-rounded education that is also applicable in the real world.