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
- 1,537
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 1,537 news items on United States, from 1999 to today.
In the United States the death penalty is a matter for the individual states as well as the federal government: some have abolished it, some retain it without applying it, and some carry out executions regularly. The prevailing method is lethal injection, and several states have reintroduced alternative methods.
Its death rows are among the most populated in the world and the wait often lasts decades. The debate concerns the availability of the drugs, wrongful convictions and the conditions of isolation. The archive follows executions, stays, commutations and court decisions, state by state.
Latest news
OCTOBER 16, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Reuters study suggests over 3,000 deaths a year in US prisons.
USA - Reuters study suggests over 3,000 deaths a year in US prisons.
OCTOBER 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Published the latest edition of "Death Row USA" updated to 1 July 2020.
USA - Published the latest edition of "Death Row USA" updated to 1 July 2020.
OCTOBER 7, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Islamic State 'Beatles' in court over US hostages' deaths.
USA - Islamic State 'Beatles' in court over US hostages' deaths.
OCTOBER 5, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The 2020–2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened, declining to review more than 30 death-penalty cases.
USA - The 2020–2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened, declining to review more than 30 death-penalty cases.
OCTOBER 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Military. Another judge steps away from stalled Guantanamo 9/11 trial.
USA - Military. Another judge steps away from stalled Guantanamo 9/11 trial.
OCTOBER 3, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Vatican City. New Papal Encyclical Tells Catholics There is ‘No Stepping Back’ From Opposition to Death Penalty.
USA - Vatican City. New Papal Encyclical Tells Catholics There is ‘No Stepping Back’ From Opposition to Death Penalty.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The Department of Justice released "Capital Punishment, 2018"
USA - The Department of Justice released "Capital Punishment, 2018"
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: WILLIAM EMMETT LECROY EXECUTED IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM
William Emmett LeCroy was executed on September 22, 2020 in the federal system.
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Christopher Andre Vialva Was Executed On Sept. 24 In Federal Prison.
USA - Christopher Andre Vialva Was Executed On Sept. 24 In Federal Prison.
SEPTEMBER 28, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: CHRISTOPHER ANDRE VIALVA EXECUTED IN FEDERAL PRISON
Christopher Andre Vialva Was Executed In Federal Prison on September 24, 2020.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - William Emmett LeCroy was executed today in the federal system.
USA - William Emmett LeCroy was executed today in the federal system.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - NPR Investigation of more than 200 Autopsies Finds Executed Prisoners Experience Suffocation and Drowning.
USA - NPR Investigation of more than 200 Autopsies Finds Executed Prisoners Experience Suffocation and Drowning.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Federal Executions Likely Caused Prison COVID-19 Outbreak.
USA - Federal Executions Likely Caused Prison COVID-19 Outbreak.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Report Finds Rampant Government Misconduct in Death-Row Exonerations, Especially with Black Defendants.
USA - Report Finds Rampant Government Misconduct in Death-Row Exonerations, Especially with Black Defendants.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Mississippi. Curtis Flowers Exonerated n. 171
USA - Mississippi. Curtis Flowers Exonerated n. 171
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: KEITH NELSON EXECUTED IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM
Keith Nelson, 45, White, was executed on August 28, 2020 in the federal system.
AUGUST 31, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Coronavirus Prison Fatalities Reaches 931, Surpass Two Decades of Executions
USA - Coronavirus Prison Fatalities Reaches 931, Surpass Two Decades of Executions
- AUGUST 28, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Keith Nelson, 45, White, was executed today in the federal system.
USA - Keith Nelson, 45, White, was executed today in the federal system.
AUGUST 27, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Robert Duboise, who had been sentenced to death in 1985, walked out of prison.
USA - Florida. Robert Duboise, who had been sentenced to death in 1985, walked out of prison.
AUGUST 26, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Federal. Lezmond Mitchell, the only Native American on death row, was executed at the federal prison in Terre Haute.
USA - Federal. Lezmond Mitchell, the only Native American on death row, was executed at the federal prison in Terre Haute.
AUGUST 26, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Autopsy Results Provide ‘Virtual Medical Certainty’ that Prisoners will Experience ‘Excruciating Pain’ During Federal Executions.
USA - Autopsy Results Provide ‘Virtual Medical Certainty’ that Prisoners will Experience ‘Excruciating Pain’ During Federal Executions.
AUGUST 10, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Death Row USA (DRUSA) up to April 1, 2020
USA - Death Row USA (DRUSA) up to April 1, 2020
AUGUST 9, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - California. Pedro Arias is the 12th death row prisoner to die of Covid-19
USA - California. Pedro Arias is the 12th death row prisoner to die of Covid-19
- AUGUST 9, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Pedro Arias, 12° morto di Covid-19 nel braccio della morte.
USA - California. Pedro Arias, 12° morto di Covid-19 nel braccio della morte.
AUGUST 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: FEDERAL APPEALS COURT OVERTURNED DZHOKHAR TSARNAEV'S DEATH SENTENCE
The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston on 31 July 2020 overturned Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's death sentence.
- JULY 31, 2020ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. At least 8 death row prisoners tested positive for COVID-19, 1 died (Alfonso Salazar)
USA - Arizona. At least 8 death row prisoners tested positive for COVID-19, 1 died (Alfonso Salazar)
- JULY 31, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston overturned Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's death sentence.
USA - Federal. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston overturned Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's death sentence.
JULY 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The U.S. government has set an August 26, 2020 execution date for Lezmond Mitchell, the sole Native American on federal death row
USA - The U.S. government has set an August 26, 2020 execution date for Lezmond Mitchell, the sole Native American on federal death row
- JULY 27, 2020CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. 10th death row inmate (Johnny Avila) dies from COVID-19.
USA - California. 10th death row inmate (Johnny Avila) dies from COVID-19.
- JULY 19, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. 39 inmates died by COVID-19 in California’s prisons
USA - California. 39 inmates died by COVID-19 in California’s prisons