Advocates frustrated by Democratic leadership on police reform Princess Blanding, sister of Marcus-David Peters, speaks to protesters outside the Stuart C. Siegel Center on the first day of the 2020 General Assembly special session. (Source: Andrew Ringle |Capital News Service) By Josephine Walker | Capital News Service | February 9, 2021 at 6:24 PM EST - Updated February 11 at 9:31 PM RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia has made headlines in recent months for criminal justice reform measures but advocates say more needs to be done. They are disappointed lawmakers in both chambers of the General Assembly recently killed proposals to reduce qualified immunity protections for police officers. State lawmakers so far this session have advanced bills to legalize marijuana, remove mandatory minimum sentences and abolish the death penalty. During the special session called last year, the General Assembly banned police from using no-knock search warrants and chokeholds.