United States
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 16
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 47
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The pace of USA executions is on the rise, pushed by...
- News items in the archive
- 1,047
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
United States is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 16 executions in the country, against 47 the year before. The archive holds 1,047 news items on United States, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
JULY 10, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Federal Jane E. Magnus-Stinson Orders Delay of federal execution of Daniel Lewis Lee.
USA - Federal Jane E. Magnus-Stinson Orders Delay of federal execution of Daniel Lewis Lee.
JULY 10, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - European Union. EU condemns U.S. for resuming federal executions.
USA - European Union. EU condemns U.S. for resuming federal executions.
JULY 9, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Oklahoma. The United States Supreme Court has vacated the conviction of Patrick Dwayne Murphy.
USA - Oklahoma. The United States Supreme Court has vacated the conviction of Patrick Dwayne Murphy.
JULY 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - California. 5 prisoners die of COVID-19 at San Quentin Death Row.
USA - California. 5 prisoners die of COVID-19 at San Quentin Death Row.
JULY 1, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Pennsylvania. Kareem Johnson Becomes Nation’s 170th Death-Row Exoneree Since 1973.
USA - Pennsylvania. Kareem Johnson Becomes Nation’s 170th Death-Row Exoneree Since 1973.
JUNE 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Execution Protocol Case, Removing Barrier to Resumption of Federal Executions.
USA - U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Execution Protocol Case, Removing Barrier to Resumption of Federal Executions.
JUNE 29, 2020IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Prosecutor In Iran Claims He Has Issued An Arrest Warrant For Trump.
IRAN - Prosecutor In Iran Claims He Has Issued An Arrest Warrant For Trump.
- JUNE 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. COVID-19 Infects Nearly 200 on California’s Death Row, and 89 members of staff, and 1 death
USA - California. COVID-19 Infects Nearly 200 on California’s Death Row, and 89 members of staff, and 1 death
- JUNE 23, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Gallup poll: record low 54% say death penalty is morally acceptable.
USA - Gallup poll: record low 54% say death penalty is morally acceptable.
- JUNE 22, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - DPIC Report — 1,344 Prisoners are on U.S. Death Rows in Violation of U.S. Human Rights Obligations
USA - DPIC Report — 1,344 Prisoners are on U.S. Death Rows in Violation of U.S. Human Rights Obligations
JUNE 18, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Utah. Utah has gone more than a decade without carrying out an execution.
USA - Utah. Utah has gone more than a decade without carrying out an execution.
- JUNE 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 4 federal executions scheduled in July and August. These executions are unlikely to occur.
USA - 4 federal executions scheduled in July and August. These executions are unlikely to occur.
JUNE 9, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Governor Signs Bill Authorizing Compensation for Death-Row Exoneree Clifford Williams.
USA - Florida. Governor Signs Bill Authorizing Compensation for Death-Row Exoneree Clifford Williams.
JUNE 5, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Pennsylvania. Walter Ogrod leaves prison after 28 years.
USA - Pennsylvania. Walter Ogrod leaves prison after 28 years.
- JUNE 4, 2020IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Prisoners' swap with US, Michael White and Majid Taheri
IRAN - Prisoners' swap with US, Michael White and Majid Taheri
MAY 23, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Hannah Cox, of Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty: “Death Penalty is Now a GOP Fringe Position”
USA - Hannah Cox, of Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty: “Death Penalty is Now a GOP Fringe Position”
MAY 20, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Zacarias Moussaoui says he is renouncing terrorism
USA - Zacarias Moussaoui says he is renouncing terrorism
MAY 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Oregon. Department of Corrections is closing death row
USA - Oregon. Department of Corrections is closing death row
MAY 8, 2020IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - The body of Ali Ajami, Iranian human rights activist, found in Texas on May 6, 2020.
IRAN - The body of Ali Ajami, Iranian human rights activist, found in Texas on May 6, 2020.
- APRIL 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - U.S. Supreme Court: Unanimous jury verdict required to convict.
USA - U.S. Supreme Court: Unanimous jury verdict required to convict.
APRIL 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Ohio. 4,000 coronavirus cases in the Ohio prison system
USA - Ohio. 4,000 coronavirus cases in the Ohio prison system
APRIL 20, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Michigan. William Garrison died of COVID-19 a few days before his release after serving 44 years.
USA - Michigan. William Garrison died of COVID-19 a few days before his release after serving 44 years.
APRIL 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Two tv series about death penalty.
USA - Two tv series about death penalty.
APRIL 12, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Military. David Bruck Is Selected for Guantánamo’s 9/11 Trial
USA - Military. David Bruck Is Selected for Guantánamo’s 9/11 Trial
- APRIL 8, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Prisoners and COVID-19
USA - Prisoners and COVID-19
- APRIL 7, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit overtured an injunction against the Trump administration’s plan to restart federal executions
USA - Federal. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit overtured an injunction against the Trump administration’s plan to restart federal executions
APRIL 3, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - 2019 Exoneration Report
USA - 2019 Exoneration Report
- MARCH 27, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Coronavirus Pandemic Halts Executions, Perhaps for the Foreseeable Future.
USA - Coronavirus Pandemic Halts Executions, Perhaps for the Foreseeable Future.
MARCH 25, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Retirement of Guantánamo Military Judge Likely to Further Delay Sept. 11 Death-Penalty Trial.
USA - Retirement of Guantánamo Military Judge Likely to Further Delay Sept. 11 Death-Penalty Trial.
MARCH 18, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The Sentencing Project publishes its "ANNUAL REPORT 2019"
USA - The Sentencing Project publishes its "ANNUAL REPORT 2019"