RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — On Friday, Governor Ralph Northam announced that several items used to execute people in Virginia were being transferred to the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond.

Click here to subscribe to WAVY’s breaking news email alert

“This action closes the era of state-sponsored execution in Virginia,” said Governor Northam. “The Commonwealth asked the Museum to accept these items, as they have the curatorial expertise to appropriately manage and interpret such materials.”

After executing more than 1,300 people, Northam signed legislation to end the use of the death penalty in March 2021. Virginia was the 23rd state to abolish the death penalty and the first one in the south.

At the time, Northam said the death penalty has been disproportionately applied to Black people and is the product of a flawed judicial system that doesn’t always get it right. Since 1973, more than 170 people around the country have been released from death row after evidence of their innocence was uncovered, he said.

“The Commonwealth’s history of using capital punishment is an important part of history, and the Museum is focused on telling Virginia’s full and true story for future generations,” Northam added.

Officials say the 114-year-old electric chair was used to execute 267 people. It was originally installed at the Virginia State Penitentiary on Spring Street near downtown Richmond in 1908 and later was moved to Greensville Correctional Center.

It remained there until earlier this week.

In addition, the Commonwealth donated the medical gurney used for executing people by lethal injection, along with other tools used to carry out executions, including leather straps.

The following items were donated:

ItemDescriptionSerial No.Quantity
Phillips Heart MonitorHeart Monitor Model M3536AUS003277261
Eden Heart MonitorHeart Monitor Model IM50333153-M176022700571
Eden Heart MonitorHeart Monitor Model IM50333152-M153042900071
Wooden PartitionPartition Used For Lethal InjectionsNone1
CurtainBlue Partition Curtain Used For Lethal InjectionsNone1
Medical GurneyGurney Model 6006367T1
Resistor BankTest Equipment for Electric ChairNone1
Execution ChairExecution Chair – OakNone1
BaseBase for Chair Mounted to FloorNone1
Wall PhoneWall Phone – RedNone1
Wall SwitchWall key-switch for WardenNone1
Control Panel UnitControls for Electrocution ExecutionNone1
Aluminum Pot LargePot for soaking spongesNone1
Aluminum Pot SmallPot for soaking spongesNone1
Aluminum StrainerDraining of SpongesNone1
Indicator Lights/SwitchCarlon Indicator LightsNone1
Leg StrapsLeg straps for gurneyNone14
Chest StrapChest strap for GurneyNone2
Ankle StrapAnkle Strap for Gurney With KeyNone2
Thigh StrapsThigh Straps for GurneyNone2
KeysSpare Keys for Ankle StrapsNone4
Natural SpongesSponges for Contact PointsNone3
Face MaskLeather Face MaskNone4
Leg StrapLeg ContactNone1
Spare ContactSpare ContactsNone2
Spare Spring StrapsSpare SpringsNone4
Rubber Electrical Gloves1 PairNone1
Leather Gloves2 PairNone2
Red Rubber Gloves3 PairNone3
Copper HelmetHead ContactNone1
120 Grit Sand PaperCleaningNone3
Emory ClothCleaningNone1
Used ToothbrushCleaningNone1
Lemon OilCleaningNone1
BrassoCleaningNone1
English OilCleaningNone1
Red Wall PhoneSpare PhoneNone1
Spare LeatherSpare LeatherNone1
Long Leather StripSpare Strip for HelmetNone6
Short Leather StripSpare Strip for HelmetNone7
AmplifierAmplifier for Sound- McGohan Electronics Model MSB103None1

Download the WAVY News App to keep up with the latest news, weather and sports from WAVY-TV 10. Available in both the Apple and Google Play stores.